The Anchor october 2011: Machakos Liquor Court

Liquor Court 

rejects 109 bars

MACHAKOS  District Liquor Licensing  Court announced a rejection of 196 bar license applications out of the 406 gazetted ones.

The Court chairman said 210 outlets were licensed with a strong warning to the owners that they risked having the licenses revoked if they contravened the law.

“This court will not hesitate to cancel licenses for those found breaking the laid down laws within the shortest time possible”,he said when he delivered the court’s verdict outside his office.

He explained that most of the bars whose applications were rejected did not meet the set thresholds.

This has triggered anger from several bar owners who threatened to sue the District Liqour Licensing Court for rejecting their applications .

Through their lawyer L.N.Ngolya,the traders accused the court chaired by area DC Kobia wa Kamau of being “selective” in the manner it dealt with the numerous application before it.

They have demanded that the court supplies them with the record of its proceedings relating to their respective applications for trade licenses with proper reasons as to why their applications were rejected by the court.

“Take notice that if you do not comply as demanded,our clients shall invoke the full force of the law against your committee, always holding you liable as to cost and other consequencies connected therewith and incidental thereto”, read the blazing Ngolya letter to the Dc dated August 13,2011.

In the letter Ngolya said his clients were concerned that some undeserving cases were favoured while the most compliant and meritorious ones were rejected.

“Our clients are also concerned that members of a particular community had their applications approved with ease even when was clear that they had not met the legal criteria under the  Alcholic Drinks Control Act 2010”,wrote the lawyer.

The chairman who was accompanied by Machakos OCPD Richard Kerich among other court members urged those who qualified to ensure they conformed with the law.

He advised those who did not have their applications approved to find with the court the reasons for rejection so that they could rectify them and make fresh applications for consideration in future