Tuesday 1 July 2014

Nacada blames governor for Masaku Sevens binge

Anti-drug abuse crusader John Mututho has said the Machakos County government failed to play its role in controlling the sale of alcohol at the Masaku Sevens over the weekend, which he says resulted in underage drinking.
Mr Mututho, who chairs the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), told journalists he had received complaints from churches in Machakos over the matter.
He said that at one church, drunken youth threatened to burn it down if they were not allowed to “do their dirty things there.”
Mr Mututho said the event was marked by “blatant abuse of alcohol and drugs, among other things, and total misconduct of the youth.”
Mr Mututho laid the blame at the doorstep of the governor, Alfred Mutua.
COUNTY'S DOMAIN
“That’s a failure on Mutua’s part. It’s his business to ensure that he licenses people to handle alcohol properly and drugs and pornography properly. It is all in the domain of county governments,” said Mr Mututho.
He said that while Mr Mutua had “a very brilliant idea” in setting up the Masaku Sevens, some people took it over and used it to sell alcohol to underage revellers.
“Honourable Mutua, with his many cars, with the police and all that…should have been able to control that too. I blame him,” he added shortly after a brief meeting with the National Security and Administration Committee.
That meeting was put off till next Tuesday because, said committee chairman Mr Asman Kamama, Mr Mututho needed about two hours to make his case and there was not enough time.
“I was in Machakos on Friday and there was total chaos in that town,” said Mr Kamama.
FESTIVAL 'MARRED'
Mr Mututho claimed that children as young as 11 were sold alcohol.
“When they got drunk, according to my information, they moved to a church compound and threatened to burn the church if they were not allowed to do their dirty things inside and around the church compound,” said Mr Mututho.
“I want to agree with other relevant authorities that all jam sessions now which admit children under the age of 18 should be banned. There is no exemption on this because we have to protect our youth,” said Mr Mututho.
He said the event in Machakos would have been a good carnival had the law been observed.
“Let us have the youth in millions come for a festival but let us not allow people who are licensed to sell alcohol do it to underage,” said Mr Mututho.
BREWER 'OWES' AN APOLOGY
He said the Director of Public Prosecutions should order an investigation and prosecute anyone who might have sold alcohol to underage consumers there.
He said that when he meets the committee next Tuesday, he will produce videos and printed materials from Machakos.
“It is beyond description by any sane human being. What happened during the day, in the church compound, in broad daylight, is worse than what they did in Sodom and Gomorrah,” said Mr Mututho.
He said East African Breweries Limited owe Kenyans an apology for the sale of alcohol there and allowing the youth to roam around at that “jam session.”
He also cautioned that such behaviour wouldn’t be tolerated at planned rugby events at Nakuru, Meru and Kakamega.

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