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Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii (pictured) has expressed concern over the high number of young local men giving marriage a wide berth.

County boss attributed the trend, which he termed as alarming, to excessive abuse of alcohol and drugs among the young men.

Bii was speaking on Saturday in Eldoret town where he officiated at the launch of his football tournament cup for boys and girls.

According to the governor,  it was not lack of money or poverty that was motivating the men to remain bachelors but attributed the trend to the uncontrolled consumption of illicit liquor. “When driving from Kabenes area in Soy sub-county to Eldoret town, I hardly encounter or see even a single pregnant woman on the road, then I wonder where our men are,” said Bii.

He claimed that the increasing number of aging men who have refused to settle down in marriage was due to consumption of second generation brew. He has since pledged to supplement the National government’s effort to effectively deal with the alcohol and drug abuse menace by empowering the young people through sports.

“My administration is committed to working closely with the National government and other stakeholders to support those addicted so that they can get healed and reformed to be productive in the community,” assured Bii.

“I will reward any young man I will meet on the road with a pregnant wife as an incentive to motivate them to settle down in marriage,” he stated. Governor challenged young men to embrace income generating ventures and settle down and have children instead of whiling away in drinking dents.

“As leaders, it is our responsibility to initiate income generating programmes to make our youth busy and responsible and avoid abuse of the killer brews,” added Bii.