Photo: Reuben Githinji/The Star There was drama in Naivasha when police raided a beer factory and closed it down terming it as uncertified and a health hazard.
The officers, accompanied by officers from KRA and public health, termed the factory as illegal adding that it did not have any license to operate.
The raid in African Breweries Limited which produces Solar Ice, African cane, African Gin and African Brew caught the staff by surprise.
Soon after touring the factory located near the Naivasha sports club, the officers closed it and confiscated the equipment. The district's public health officer Samuel King'ori said the facility did not have an operating license.
King'ori said that they had taken some samples to the government laboratories for testing and expressed concern over the quality of the products.
"The workers do not have medical certificates, the beer is packaged in unhygienic manner and the source of the brewing material is questionable," he said.
He said the factory did not have a NEMA certificate.
A senior manager in the company Gikuha Kaiganaine defended the products saying that they had applied to KEBs for a certificate.
"We have just started our production as we wait for the certificate and we are shocked by the move to close down the factory," said the brewer.
In the last few months, players in the alcoholic industry have expressed their concern over an increased in illicit and second generations drinks in the market.
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