President Uhuru Kenyatta signed law the Public Service Values Bill and Alcoholic Drinks Control (Amendment Bill).
The Alcoholic Drinks Control (Amendment) Act, 2015, amends the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, 2010, to also recognise alcoholism as disease.
The Act says that in conducting education and awareness programs, relevant agencies and the Government shall “recognise alcoholism as a disease and the alcohol use disorders as defined by World Health Organisation shall be recognised disorders in Kenya”.
The Act grants remission of excise duty at 90 percent with respect to beer made from sorghum, millet or cassava grown in Kenya if the licensed manufacturer manufactures beer that has at least 75 percent content of sorghum, millet and cassava.
For this provision to apply, the manufacturer must pack the beer in pasteurised containers of at least thirty litres or such other container and quantity as the Cabinet Secretary responsible for finance may approve.
The objective of the Public Service Values and Principles Act, 2015, is to lay down a general code on the values and principles of public service.
Among other things, the Act deals with the standards of professional ethics applicable to public officers, including honesty, integrity, transparency and the rule of law.
The new law requires a public officer to use public resources in an efficient, effective and economic manner, failing which disciplinary action will be taken against him or her.
Also signed into law was the Protection Against Domestic Violence Bill,2015
Source- the-star.co.ke
Alcoholism now recognised as a disease in Kenya
