By Standard Team
One would have thought Kenya had stumbled on a thousand oil basins as chang’aa and busaa parties popped up across the country.
Some drunk in the open, relishing the newfound freedom to drink what has been illicit from 1978 until Wednesday evening, when President Kibaki signed the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2009.
Others walked to shopping centres, where for the fear of the police and the chief, they never would when drunk, and even dared law enforcement officers to harass them. For many it did not matter the requirement chang’aa has to be bottled and whoever is found selling the adulterated version, faces a fine of Sh5 million or a five-year jail term.
Those found selling the drink to minors risk Sh150, 000 fine, a one-year jail term or both.
They also forgot or did not even know it will take 90 days for it to come into force and that there are other procedures before the big party opens.
From Eldoret to Kisumu the wining went on as leaders from Central Province reacted with dismay to the legalisation of traditional liquors — which started in Parliament.
In Ugenya, chang’aa drinkers flocked their former secret dens as early as 7am to toast the era — without fear of arrest or having to flee into the maize plantations at the sight of the chief or police.
Ms Susan Liyabi of Mulembe Farmers’ Busaa Club at Elwesero village, Lurambi, Kakamega serves her customers with their favourite drink a day after the Bill they mistook to be licence to drink was signed. [PHOTO: BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD] |
In Eldoret’s Langas estate, women joined men at drinking joints as they held old tins in the open, savouring the hard stuff that often knocks many off the feet.
In Ugenya and Siaya districts, revelers thronged chang’aa dens early to celebrate presidential assent to the Bill and what they see as its tidings.
In Ugenya, reputed as ‘the hub of the most potent chang’aa’, sellers reported booming business from as early as 7am. Consumers demanded to be served early, and even toasted to the President for signing the Bill.
Peaceful sip
A dealer from Sifuyo in West Ugenya, Muranga Omondi, said his customers woke him up demanding the liquor, wondering why he was late while they were supposed to celebrate the ‘rebirth’ of chang’aa. "Now we are free and we have the best quality as we peacefully sip by the roadside," said a beaming Omondi.
Omondi hailed the President for legalising chang’aa, adding it has saved them from persistent harassment by the police and provincial administration. He said he used to pay "Sh500 as protection fee to the police per month".
"Polise ema koro koyo chamo," he said. (It is the Police who are now in the cold). On being reminded it was a requirement of the new law that chang’aa be bottled, Omondi said he had made arrangements to be supplied with used bottles from bars in several urban centres so he could clean and bottle his stuff for the customers. In Masiro Anyiko in Ugenya, the story was the same, as Bartholomeo Ooko said they were overjoyed but said they had run out of money to continue celebrating chang’aa.
"We have been insisting that chang’aa does not kill, otherwise we would have died a long time ago," he said, adding, "What has been killing people in Nairobi and other areas is poison, not chang’aa."
In North West Ugenya, the area Chief Martin Musanya said they had stopped chang’aa raids to avoid clashing with the people as they awaited further instruction from their superiors. Ukwala Town Council Chairman, Sylvester Wire, said the liberalisation provided an opportunity for Ugenya residents to reap from their expertise to distil chang’aa.
Wire said the residents should establish production plants that will receive and bottle liquor.
In Siaya, former Mayor Obiero Otare welcomed the move, saying it will, in long run, curb irresponsible drinking.
Impotent youth
But Central Province MPs, including Ephrahim Maina (Mathira), and David Ngugi (Kinangop) said hard liquor had contributed to low population growth. "The Government should prepare an economic rejuvenation policy for the region," said Maina.
He called on the Government to limit the licensing of bars.
"We also need to reduce the number of licensed bars, since they surpass the number of schools," he said.
Ngugi said consumption of illicit brews had made the youth impotent.
"We want the Government to implement the rules properly, and especially the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act," he said. The legislator observed that Kenya had good laws that governed distillation and consumption of alcohol, but blamed enforcing agents of sleeping on their job.
Mr Joseph Karonji, the Laikipia County chairman, urged the Government, through the Ministry of Health, the Kenya Bureau of Standards, and the police to ensure alcoholic brews were quality- checked to ensure consumer safety.
Down at the Coast, chiefs and administration officers were on the prowl for mnazi dealers operating without a liquor license.
Malindi District Officer, Josephine Njenga, said they have arrested eight brewers who have been operating illegally. Mrs Njenga said those arrested would be charged in court with operating mnazi dens without liquor licenses.
