Nairobi County Liquor licensing Board has announced plans to carry out random sampling of all liquor outlets and producers to ensure the standards of producing and packaging are maintained.

The board has warned all proprietors operating their liquor business without licenses saying they will be prosecuted and the outlets closed.

Proprietors have until April to either renew or apply for licenses.

The board chairman Vincent Shimoli also says the county intends to establish 3 rehabilitation centers targeting hundreds of alcohol and drug addicts.

“This team will also have a mandate of undertaking random visit to outlets specifically targeting underage drinking,” he said.

He lamented that Nairobi County has more than 20,000 liquor outlets that are not licensed.

“It is a major problem. We only have about 6,000 outlets licensed by the County Government,” he pointed out.

He also said the board in conjunction with the county inter agency committee will conduct surveillance and inspection of all shisha joints, with a view to ensure all banned flavours are not being sold.