A Civic Leader in Kapiri Mposhi district has observed that excessive alcohol consumption is hindering development in his ward.
Kakwelesa Ward Councilor Ben Chiboni has since called on government to expedite the enactment of the National Alcohol Policy to regulate beer consumption which he said has become alarming in the area.
Mr. Chiboni said people in his ward were involved in excessive beer consumption daily at the expense of development adding that, the trend has also led to increased levels of assaults and Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the area.
In a statement to ZANIS Mr. Chiboni disclosed that the scourge has been compounded by bar owners who are not observing time to operate as they are opening their outlets as early as 06:00 hours and closing as late as 04:00hours the next day.
“Some people are sleeping in these taverns drinking beer because taverns are not closing at all so most people do not have time to do productive work such as farming,” Mr. Chiboni said.
Mr. Chiboni noted that because of the profitability of bars in his area, some grocery shops are now also partially trading as bars and operating outside the prescribed time.
“When you come to Kakwelesa market you will find that almost all the groceries are trading in alcohol and playing loud music just like taverns,” Mr. Chiboni said.
Mr. Chiboni noted that the enactment of the National Alcohol Policy to regulate beer consumption will help root-out excessive beer drinking in his ward and the country at large.
Meanwhile, Mr. Chiboni has called on the authorities to move in his ward and enforce the existing legal framework such as the Liquor licensing Act regarding regulation of alcohol consumption and trade.
Zambia is in the process of enacting the National Alcohol Policy (NAP) to regulate the increase alcohol consumption in the country.
Thats right, there is too much consumption of alcohol in Zambia, one wonders where money to buy alcohol comes from since the same drunkards complain of being unemployed.
Government must cut on number of bars and taverns and make law to punish anyone drunk in day time from Monday to Friday.
Follow the leader!
drink when still alive….
…at which point does one say alcohol is too much? What do you use to measure that?
It’s not really the excessive consumption, it’s the non-adherence to rules and laws. Are you aware Rwanda consumes more alcohol per capita than Zambia?? But they know when to work and when to drink. The problem in Zambia is any type of alcohol is sold anywhere at anytime.
be careful before making such assertions that alcohol consumption is hindering development, there should be evidence for such a conclusion. Another expert could come up with an argument that alcohol consumption has enhanced development through boosting of the beer/alcohol industry which has in turn created jobs, increased tax collections by ZRA, etc, etc. Zambians need to move towards evidence-based arguments and not speculation.
Its on record that alcohol/ beer industry turns the wheels of the Zambian economy so basically that civic leader doesn’t know what he is talking about.
In the meantime Zambia Breweries has expanded its bottling plant to increase beer production.
Why not ban beer drinking ? It adds no value to society. Or restrict it the way it is done in Arabic countries.
In Scotland what they have done to reduce excessive consumption of alcohol is increase tax on alcohol…I don’t a party full of drunkards has the balls to take that measure!!
I don’t think …
Alcohol consumption and fornication are scoring above the inflation and economic growth rates combined, even our footballers are failing to kick the ball because of excessive beer and sex. Instead of going to sangomas to look for muti to outwit opponents, they go for mutototo and enlargement. How can we reprimand juveniles when leaders always appear inebriated? What was Margaret Mwanakatwe trying to say in that video clip? Too much jemasoni isn’t good
The civic leader is right. Alcohol is abused in our country because our laws are not properly implemented. It’s supposed to be an offence to be drunk in public but we see drunks staggering all over the place everyday. Drinking in public should also be punishable by law. People who abuse alcohol are not productive at work. They spend their work time recovering from their hangovers or dreaming about the next drink up, and only contribute a fraction of their time and expertise to the job they are employed to do. Excessive alcohol use damages all organs of the body. The resulting mental and physical health issues bring misery upon families and communities. Men and women develop sexual dysfunction contributing the increase to illicit sexual affairs that we are seeing today. We really need to…