Big brewers have six months to start distilling chang’aa (illicit brew) and lower the price of their drinks if President Kibaki assents to the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill.
The House unanimously passed the Bill yesterday with quick amendments that will not see manufacturers going into mass brewing of chang’aa.
Cottage industry
The Bill by Naivasha MP John Mututho (Kanu) was altered to make it illegal to promote “an alcoholic drink in such a manner as to encourage more consumption of alcohol to win an award or prize.”
This means that promotions frequently run by giant brewers like East African Breweries will no longer be legal. But to avoid killing the thriving cottage industry brewing sector, Parliament also set a minimum package of 250ml.
“The alcoholic drink previously known as chang’aa shall be manufactured, packed, sold and distributed in glass bottles (of 250ml),” the Bill says.
Drunkards are also in for a torrid time because if they are arrested for being “drunk and disorderly” they will be fined a maximum of Sh500 or go to jail for up to three months.
If found guilty for the third time, the culprit will be sent to a rehabilitation centre. And selling alcohol to a person coming from rehabilitation before 12 months have lapsed will be a crime.
This means the magistrate has an obligation to inform all those dealing in alcohol that a person has been to rehab.
The minister in charge of provincial administration has unfettered powers to dictate how the package of the drink will look like and insist on a picture showing the dangers of alcohol.
Other new inclusions to the Bill are warning messages such as “alcohol harms your unborn baby” and “alcohol consumption can impair fertility or cause impotence.”
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