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{
    "id": 441199,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/441199/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 232,
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    "content": "As leaders, we will not allow – this is what this Bill does – people who are drunk and they are carrying and transporting life including their own lives to continue killing themselves and fellow Kenyans on the roads in the name of enjoyment. That is why we are saying that if you must drink and get drunk, look for someone to drive you home. It is that simple. But saying that there are people who get drunk and once they are on the steering wheels, their cars know their way home is not right. We have enough funerals every weekend and a majority of those funerals are caused by young people who leave behind young spouses who turn to us to help them educate their children. We must be firm. No country in the world can be run through recklessness and indiscipline. This Bill is also talking about the relationship between national Government and county governments in matters liquor. In fact, the very argument that Sen. Wetangula brought here about the two levels of government is the very essence of this Bill. This Bill is trying to say that under the Fourth Schedule, the only function that counties have is licensing of liquor. So the entire ambits of liquor control are actually within the national Government. Liquor control has many aspects. It has transportation implications, for example, drunk driving. It has security implications especially if you connect the commission of offences and the operation and sale of alcohol and drugs. So it is not true to say that through this legislation, there will be an attempt, for example, to absorb the work of county governments. In any case, such a Bill will be unconstitutional. Therefore, this Bill is trying to create that harmony and to make sure that the two levels of government discharge their functions and that we have a sober society; a society where people enjoy themselves but do so responsibly. Mr. Speaker, Sir, finally, I remember listening to my brother and senior, Sen. Amos Wako, former Attorney-General of Kenya, when he was supporting this Bill. After supporting it, he quoted some verses in the Holy Bible. He said that Jesus made wine and on that basis, alcohol is good. I just want to conclude my remarks my reminding Sen. Amos Wako and those who believe that through that provision that he read from the Bible, alcohol is glorified. I want to refer them to the Book of Proverbs 23:29-35. Here, the Bible poses a few questions. For example; it asks the following question. “Who is this that is quarrelsome? Who is this that is bubbling words? Who is this that has redness of eyes? Who is this that tarries at wine? Who is this that gazes at strange women?” It concludes by saying, it is the drunkard. Therefore, it is not true that---"
}