Residents of Witeithie village in Juja sub-county, Kiambu County, have raised alarm over the unchecked sale of second-generation liquor, which has reportedly caused several deaths among consumers.
Bar operators have also expressed concern, saying the illicit brews are sold in unlicensed outlets that undercut legitimate businesses and deprive the government of revenue.
At least three people are said to have died after consuming the toxic liquor, which is reportedly brought in from areas including Kenol in Murang’a County and other supply zones.
“My brother died after consuming these cheap drinks, which are sold for between 25 and 30 shillings. I am calling on the government to intervene and stop this menace,” resident Joseph Thuku said.
Thuku said his younger brother, George Chege, a small-scale trader who had been making progress and had built a costly home in their rural Murang’a home, became a victim of the cheap liquor.
“He had begun constructing a house worth Sh 2 million before he became addicted to the illicit liquor. That led to a separation from his wife, after which he fell ill and eventually died from liver failure,” Thuku added.
It has also emerged that the illegal alcohol outlets, which operate around the clock, are used as channels for trafficking drugs and contraband in Witeithie.
The dealers are said to have recruited young men to sell rolled sticks of bhang from designated joints.
“You will see these young and visibly ‘charged’ youths at various wines and spirits outlets, where customers come to collect the substances,” a concerned villager said.
Locals named several notorious joints, some of which are located only a few metres from the local police station.
Residents say the liquor dens, most of them operating as wines and spirits shops, are unlicensed, yet trade continues day and night without interruption.
In some of the joints, they reportedly remain shut but unlocked, allowing customers to enter easily.
Most of the customers are touts and other “hustlers” from the Witeithie highway stage, who move in and out in large numbers from as early as 8am.
Shockingly, some of the drinkers are said to be very young, apparently teenagers, raising concern among parents.
Villagers claim that chiefs and local security officers have been compromised by the sellers, with some allegedly receiving daily or weekly bribes to ignore the trade.
When contacted, Juja Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Ndege said he had received complaints from concerned residents and that a multi-agency team had been formed to address the problem.
“We are taking decisive action involving a multi-agency team. I do not want to share details of the operation because we do not want their informants to leak information,” Ndege said.
Paul Karanja, a bar operator from Juja, said the sale of second-generation alcohol has seriously affected his business, as many customers are moving to the illegal outlets and crippling legitimate trade.
“Unfortunately, the consumers of these brews are the ones who dictate terms. They do not care about the effects of the lethal products they consume; they simply want to get drunk,” Karanja added.
He said this has caused genuine liquor businesses to suffer losses and even shut down due to lack of customers.
Some operators are reportedly panicking after learning of an imminent crackdown.
One suspected drug and illicit alcohol dealer in the Witeithie area, widely known as ‘Bena,’ has repeatedly been in and out of police and court cells.
He is allegedly behind the production of illegal brews, which are quietly transported to selected outlets and then sold to consumers.
The suspect has previously been fined and sentenced to custody, but has always returned to continue the illegal business.
The situation has also drawn attention to the Kiambu county government, which is the licensing authority.
Attempts to get comments from local county officials were unsuccessful as they could not be reached.
Similar cases have been reported in parts of Murang’a, where a man was recently fined Sh 9.2 million after being found guilty of multiple offences linked to the illegal manufacture and possession of alcoholic products and counterfeit excise stamps.
Dennis Muiruri Kamande was convicted and sentenced by Resident Magistrate Renna Jakinda of the Kenol law courts, in a judgment delivered on June 10, 2026. The magistrate ordered him to pay the fine or serve four years in jail.
Kamande faced six counts under the Excise Duty Act, 2015 and the Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008.
The charges included manufacturing excisable goods without a valid excise duty licence, possessing excisable goods obtained unlawfully, possessing alcoholic products with counterfeit excise stamps, and trading in counterfeit goods.
In her ruling, Ms Jakinda said the prosecution, led by Ms Peris Gathu, had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt after presenting evidence from 11 witnesses.