KATAA Post

At 18 years, you could be old enough to vote but too young to drink

Are you an adult aged 21 or less? The Kenya Government has a message for you: in less than two months, all doors to pubs and other alcohol selling premises could be locked to people your age.

In simpler terms, a proposed policy on the sale of alcohol considers you too young to drink.

This may sound far-fetched to young revellers, but it may become a harsh reality once the minister for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Prof George Saitoti, approves the official adoption of the National Alcohol Policy.

When that happens, with the simple stroke of a pen, nearly two million youth aged between 18 and 21 will be officially banned from bars and alcohol selling points.

The move is bound to cause a great rift between the government and brewers who, by all indications, are gearing up for the battle to retain this extremely profitable constituency.

Details of the policy are still being hammered out. For example, officials are trying to decide whether the policy should be adopted by the Cabinet, or simply sanctioned by Prof Saitoti.

Source: Saturday Nation 16/05/09

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