Remove bureaucratic tendencies

The Bar,Hotel and Liquor Traders Association Chairman Simon Njoroge addressing the  media at a Kutus town hotel, Kirinyaga County after meeting the local  Association Chapter members yesterday.

The Association Chairman Simon Njoroge claimed the government agent tasked with the disbursement of the funds was dilly dallying over the matter as the members who have been out of business continued to suffer.

Speaking to the media at a Kutus  town hotel Kirinyaga County  after a meeting with his  Association members from  the area yesterday  said as a result of the  closedown of their premises at the onset of the pandemic outbreak the losses incurred were unrecoverable .

“The loses  our members incurred since 2020 when covid 19 pandemic was reported will take us about 10 years to recover and  we therefore  wonder why the government agent tasked with  disbursing the sh 2 billion to   our sector was being bureaucratic as our members continue to suffer ,” the official said.

He said I all the 41 counties where liquor is retailed the loss  effects were similar and required urgent remedial measures  for this hospitality sector to stand on its two feet again .

“  Since  the advent of the covid 19 ,BALLITA  has  seen  15,000  of our outlets close  down while 250,000 jobs have since been  lost  but we are still trying our best to have some of them reinstated now that the 24 hour lock down has been lifted ,”Njoroge said .

The local Association Chapter Chainman Antony Mucheke criticized the area County Administration for failing to cut the Single   Business Permit   by 50 per cent as other counties have done  due to the negative effects the pandemic had caused to the traders .

He also asked the administration to stop harassing his members over unpaid operating licenses since the matter was before the court .

Mucheke cited the Kirinyaga East Sub- County Administrator and his  Kirinyaga Central counterpart as notorious for violating  the court orders already in effect.