The government has encountered a significant setback in its ongoing conflict with bar owners, manufacturers, and distributors.
The Nyandarua High Court has declared the measures used by the Interior Ministry to curb alcoholism illegal and unconstitutional. This ruling came in response to a petition filed by the Nyandarua Bar Owners Association.
Judge Charles Kariuki, who presided over the case, directed that all affected business owners are entitled to seek compensation and damages for the losses they incurred due to the closure of their businesses and the confiscation of their assets by the Interior Ministry.
“Petitioners who have suffered loss and damage because of the unconstitutional implementation of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki’s punitive directives can institute lawsuits in court and prove their claims.” Judge Kariuki
The bar owners’ association argued that the directives issued by the Interior Ministry were excessively punitive and appeared aimed at driving them out of business, which serves as their primary source of livelihood. The court’s decision supports their claim, opening the door for them to seek redress through legal channels for the economic harm they have experienced.
