Moi warns boozing officials

Officials are likely to take the warning seriously

Kenya's President Daniel Arap Moi has warned senior government officials, civil servants and police officers not to drink in public.

After your normal duties go home and make your children happy

President Daniel arap Moi

Speaking on his return from an official visit to France, the teetotal president said officials should go straight home after work and look after their families.

President Moi reserved a particular caution for the police, citing the dangers of spilling official secrets while drinking with civilians.

Although the announcement is not backed by any law, correspondents say the warning is likely to be taken very seriously.

President Moi's crusade against drinking started soon after he took power in 1978.

Image problem

Although many ministers are known to drink, close associates say that government officials rarely drink in President Moi's presence.

The president doesn't drink

Traditional brews have been banned after campaigns spearheaded by the president along with church leaders and anti-alcohol crusaders.

But with survey after survey showing dismal levels of public confidence in the police and local government - and with an election looming - the president is now targeting the ordinary after-work beer.

"I want (all civil servants) from the assistant chief to the minister to ensure that they portray a good image of the government," Mr Moi told reporters.

"As for the police commander, make sure you do not mix carelessly with civilians in bars and other public places or you end up disclosing government secrets."

Careless drinking

A team of British anti-corruption experts has been busy advising the authorities on how to clean up their act.

But the bar ban appears to have been President Moi's own initiative.

Police spokesman Peter Kimanthi told the BBC that regulations already prevented off-duty officers from careless drinking.

Officers in uniform were not even allowed to touch alcohol, he said.

Whether or not officials take their leader's advice to "go home and make your children happy" after work remains to be seen.

But correspondents say hundreds of Kenyan government officials and civil servants will now be thinking twice about stopping off for a quick beer.