By ERIC JUMA
Government Spokesperson Charles Owino has urged chiefs and their assistants in Siaya County to identify and enlist chang’aa brewers for support through the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme, saying the initiative could help them abandon the illicit liquor trade and pursue alternative livelihoods.
Addressing chiefs and their assistants in Siaya town on Sunday morning, Owino said the administrators should identify chang’aa brewers in their respective jurisdictions and help them access government empowerment programmes.
He said the initiative was aimed at eliminating illicit liquor dens by addressing the economic challenges that drive some residents, particularly women, into the trade.
“We want you to enlist all chang’aa brewers to benefit from the funding. Once we have the list and they secure the NYOTA funds, each will receive the funds at a baraza meeting as a strategy to completely lock them out of the business,” Owino said.
He warned that those who continued brewing chang’aa after receiving financial support could face prosecution, although he did not specify the legal provision under which they would be charged or sentenced.
“Whoever is found doing the chang’aa business after receiving the NYOTA funds would be prosecuted and made to serve three years,” he said.
Owino acknowledged that poverty had pushed some women into chang’aa brewing as they struggled to support their families and pay school fees for their children.
“We have a problem with chang’aa brewing, especially among our women, who have resorted to the business to fight poverty and facilitate the schooling of their children,” he said.
He urged residents to embrace government empowerment programmes, including NYOTA and the Hustler Fund, arguing that they could provide alternatives to illicit brewing and other activities that expose communities to social and economic challenges.
Owino defended the Hustler Fund against criticism from political opponents, saying the programme had enabled beneficiaries to access credit and repay their loans.
He cited figures of Sh66.26 million and approximately seven million borrowers who had reportedly repaid their loans, although he did not specify the period covered by the figures.
He called on chiefs to help residents identify and access the available funding opportunities.
“We want to rid our county of chang’aa dens. Our county is known for excellence in education, and we want to develop our young people to perform even better than us,” he said.
Owino’s remarks come amid concerns from Siaya residents over the continued brewing and consumption of chang’aa in markets and town centres across the county.
Residents say the illicit liquor is often brewed and sold in makeshift or semi-permanent structures, with some outlets operating in densely populated trading centres.
They allege that several people, including motorcycle taxi riders, have lost their lives in incidents linked to alcohol consumption. Others are reportedly killed in disputes with chang’aa sellers over payments.
Residents also say the proliferation of drinking dens has strained family relationships, with some men spending long hours drinking and neglecting their household responsibilities.
“There are homes where men spend most of their time in drinking dens and neglecting their responsibilities,” one resident said.
Some residents have described the situation as contributing to crime and lawlessness, and are calling for a crackdown on illicit brewing and sales, as well as the prosecution of those involved in the illegal trade.
During the meeting, Owino also directed chiefs and their assistants to identify villages and trading centres that remain unconnected to the national electricity grid, saying the government wanted to expand access to power across Siaya County.
He said the exercise would help authorities identify areas requiring intervention and coordinate with elected leaders and relevant government officials to accelerate connections.
“All homes in Siaya must be connected to power before June next year. To achieve that, we are relying on chiefs and their assistants to enlist villages that are not connected to the grid for action,” Owino said.
He added that the exercise should prioritise trading centres, markets and schools that lack adequate electricity access.
“We need electricity more in our centres, and we have asked chiefs to identify areas engulfed in darkness, including markets and schools, so that we can work as a team with MPs and Cabinet secretaries to get power support,” he said.
Owino also urged Siaya residents who had not registered with the Social Health Authority (SHA) to enrol, describing access to healthcare as a priority that should not be politicised.
He said approximately 500,000 residents had registered with SHA and called on chiefs to help increase the number.
“We want our chiefs to enrol more people in SHA, which has been tested and proved to be working. Over 30 million Kenyans have embraced it, while in Siaya only 500,000 have enrolled. We would like chiefs to help us double the number,” he said.
Owino defended the scheme, citing its financing arrangements for hospital development, primary healthcare and emergency and chronic illness services.
On politics, Owino urged Siaya residents to support President William Ruto’s re-election bid in 2027 and consider giving younger candidates opportunities to serve in Parliament and county government.
He welcomed the growing interest among young people seeking elective positions, urging voters to assess their policies and development records before making their decisions.
“I am happy that we have young people who are jostling for various parliamentary and county government positions. I would encourage you to give them a chance to sell their policies and make a decision based on their development track record,” he said.
