Bar owners in Nairobi are saying an estimated 250,000 people will be rendered jobless following an order by the Nairobi county government to revoke licenses of nightclubs operating within residential areas.
The Bar Hotels Liquor Traders Association of Kenya (BAHLITA) says some 3,900 bars will be forced to shut down following the order by governor Johnson Sakaja
Addressing the media in Nairobi on Tuesday,BAHLITA secretary general Boniface Gachoka said that their members have no intention of denying city residents their peace.
Gachoka says that BAHLITA takes responsibility of noise pollution caused by some of its members.
“We apologize to the President, Nairobi governor and the residents of Nairobi.We have no intention of being a nuisance within the estates where we also live,” Gachoka said.
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Dialogue with bar owners
The association wants Sakaja to form a task force that will listen to both sides and arrive at a favorable solution.
“The association has appointed an environment expert to help our members abide by regulations from the National Environment Management Authority(NEMA),”he said.
BAHLITA also wants its members to come up with channels that residents can use to direct their complains including noise pollution.
At the same time, Gachoka wants city residents to reach out to the association with complains about noise pollution emanating from any bar or entertainment joint within their areas of residence.
BAHLITA however says that most their members are abiding by set down regulations in their operations.
Gachoka says the issue should not be seen as a tussle between bar owners and the government because even bar owners are residents within the same estates.
Last week, Sakaja ordered the revoking of licenses of all nightclubs operating within residential areas.
He directed that only nightclubs operating from within the central business district be issued with operating licenses.
