Activist turned politician Robert Alai petitioned for the closure of some nightclubs in Nairobi for their role in promoting noise pollution, drug peddling, and other illegal activities.

His move has sparked a lot of debate on the feasibility of that action and the ripple effect that will have on the economy as a whole.

On October 3 the Nairobi Liquor Board suspended 43 bars and nightclubs following noise pollution allegations from residents.

The bars allegedly failed to comply with set guidelines by NEMA regarding noise pollution.

The question that begs is therefore the consequence of such closure of bars within residential areas.

Nairobi is a city with such a vibrant nightlife, so much so that most tourists look forward to experiencing the nightlife as part of their excursions.

In fact, for most Nairobians, the weekend begins on Thursday and so does the drinking spree

Strategies and techniques used to keep the customers coming back to the clubs include buying one get one free offer, celebrity appearances, themed nights, karaoke nights, game nights, good music from in-house DJs,

In a bid to make their bars more appealing, bar owners have gone the extra mile of revamping ambiance to increase sales.

This goes to show that the bar and nightclub business has the potential to thrive if done correctly.

Apart from bar owners who kill in these joints, several of her workers earn a living wholly from these businesses.

For instance, a deejay gets 35000 a night. A waitress will get 5000 shillings while a bouncer pockets the same amount.Club hosts will also miss out on an opportunity to make an extra buck.

Closing down the bars and nightclubs would mean a loss of revenue to these.

A notice issued by sub-county administrators shows that the process of shutting down the clubs was underway.

The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and industry successfully appealed to the Nairobi City County Alcoholic Drinks Control and Licensing Board to have the directive put on hold for a while.

If Robert Alai’s petition to stop the operations of bars is granted livelihoods for many will be cut short thereby aggravating an already beaten-down economy.

Despite netizens expressing their divergent views on the matter the final decision lies squarely on the Nairobi City County Alcoholic Drinks Control Licensing Board and the National Environment Management Authority.