KENYA – Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), subsidiary of the East African Breweries Limited (EABL) has partnered with National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) to educate and sensitize road users on responsible drinking under its DRINKiQ platform, in order to enhance road safety in Kenya.

The partnership will involve the adoption of a Responsible Drinking Education Module, which will complement the curriculum for training and testing of Drivers and Instructors.

Speaking during the memorandum signing ceremony, KBL MD Jane Karuku said that KBL’s commitment to responsible drinking has been the basis of initiatives to encourage consumers of alcohol products to drink in moderation, appoint a designated driver or use a taxi/driver service rather than drive.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, we are keen on supporting the government’s effort to provide education and sensitization around drinking and driving.

“It is in recognition of this responsibility that we have partnered with NTSA to leverage on our DRINKiQ platform and introduce a module that seeks to inculcate the right behaviour with regards to alcohol consumption among licensed drivers”, said Jane Karuku.

According to NTSA statistics, about of 3,000 people lose their lives on the road every year with more than twice this number suffering from life-long injuries. Notably, those injured or killed are within the productive age bracket of 15 to 44 years.

“With the support of KBL and through this partnership, we expect positive behaviour change among drivers.

“Drivers have a high level of responsibility and their actions can affect the lives of many people and is therefore, important that they acquire the requisite knowledge and skills.” said NTSA Director General, George Njao.

DRINKiQ is Diageo’s, parent company of EABL, branded responsible drinking platform, which is used to engage, inform and educate people, equipping them to make responsible decisions about their alcohol consumption, including in relation to driving.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, we are keen on supporting the government’s effort to provide education and sensitization around drinking and driving.”

KBL MD – Jane Karuku

The premise of DRINKiQ is that if people internalise understanding of what alcohol is, how it is processed and the different ways it can affect their bodies, that understanding will become an inherent influence for responsible drinking and responsible decisions related to drinking.

The platform is also utilized by Serengeti Breweries, the sister company of KBL in Tanzania and Guinness in Ghana.

Meanwhile, EABL’s Ugandan operating unit, Uganda Breweries, has commissioned Ush335m (US$90K) Gravity Water Project In Bududa District.

Over 2,000 residents of Buwali Sub county, Bududa district are set to benefit from the water supply system.

Construction of the system commenced in May 2019 and was implemented in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kampala North, with the aim of improving access to safe and adequate water in Bududa district.

UBL has in the past years run similar projects under its Water of Life initiative, that helps combat water poverty by improving access to clean drinking water and sanitation.

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