Man dies after drinking impounded liquor

The toxic effects of illicit brews were again highlighted yesterday when a man died in Othaya, Nyeri County after secretly consuming one of the drinks that had been impounded and set to be destroyed.

“The young man was one of those helping police officers destroy the liquor. He took one of the bottles and ran off to drink it, but collapsed and died soon afterwards,” Nyeri County Commissioner Michael ole Tialal said.

He said it was unfortunate that there were people who did not support the operation to rid Central Kenya of the illicit brews.

On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta initiated a four-day campaign to rid Central Kenya of the drinks before a countrywide campaign is rolled out.

“In the past two days, we have confiscated and destroyed at least four lorries of second generation drinks and have discovered that some unscrupulous individuals have been manufacturing them in their homes,” the commissioner said.

Tialal also warned that some traders were using fake Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and Kenya Revenue Authority stamps to fool consumers. This was echoed by Kieni MP Kanini Kega, who led ‘Operation Fagia Pombe’ in Chaka Town.

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“The wines and spirits dealers are displaying legitimate drinks on the counter and hiding the illegal brands in their back rooms. One even hid the cartons of liquor in a toilet,” Kega said.

Kega also led a team of local administrators and residents in a raid on a factory said to be producing dangerous brews in Naromoru Town.

However at the same time, traders in the region cried foul over losses amounting to millions of shillings as Kebs announced the suspension of 367 brands of what it called ‘potable spirits’.

Yesterday, the Bureau said it was suspending licences for these spirits “until an inter-agency team carries out a nationwide inspection of premises and analysis of alcoholic products to ensure that they meet standards”.

The State corporation said it had written to all manufacturers to stop production of the drinks until they are inspected and cleared by the team formed to tackle the illicit brew menace that has ravaged the country.

However, many residents of Central Kenya, which has been the epicentre of the trade and consumption of cheap and illicit liquor, accuse the State of carrying out the operation in a haphazard manner.

As happens when alcohol-related deaths are reported, after the presidential directive, police officers swing into action by ransacking premises and arresting suspected dealers.

President Kenyatta ordered the four-day operation after meeting MPs from Central Kenya last Wednesday. Sources at the meeting said the President was concerned about the high level of alcoholism in his backyard, with National Authority on the Campaign Against Alcohol and Dug Abuse (Nacada) reports showing that nearly 60 per cent of youths in Mt Kenya region abuse alcohol.

Counties and Efficiency in Development chairman James Maina Mugo described the operation as “official hooliganism sanctioned by the government.”

“The rule of law has been thrown out of the window and what we are seeing is a situation where the government has allowed hooligans to invade legitimate businesses,” said Mugo in a statement.

Joseph Kimaru, a trader in Murang’a, also questioned the rationale behind the impromptu raid carried out by MPs and police in bars where property has been destroyed.

“We fully support this fight against alcoholism but we need the operation to be carried out in structured and legal way.

The crackdown should adhere to the laid down procedures; not allowing people to destroy other people’s property,” said Kimaru.

But MPs defended the action and said the presidential order must be adhered to “since the problem of alcoholism is bigger than the investments.”

“The rule of law must be followed but sometimes we need to bend it a little to get things done.

“This must rectify this problem once and for all, there are no two ways about it,” said Kega who was leading an operation at Chaka Trading centre.

Gichugu MP Njogu Barua said there was need for the politicians and police to follow the presidential directive but called for sobriety to ensure that property was not destroyed.

And Othaya MP Mary Wambui, who on Friday witnessed the destruction of drinks worth more than Sh3 million, said the war was unstoppable.

Wambui said the region was a dumping ground for cheap liquor targeted at the youth.