Illicit brew claims another nine people in Kiambu

By ERIC WAINAINA

LIMURU, KENYA: Barely a day after 20 people died from consuming illicit brew in Embu, another nine people including six members from an extended family have died from similar fate in Kiambu county.

Esther Maina, the County Commissioner confirmed the deaths which she said begun occurring on Sunday night.

According to Ms Maina, the victims from Nazareth village consumed pure methanol which was sold to them by one of the victims David Mungai which she said was a notorious illicit brew dealer.

Three died on Sunday, three at the Kenyatta National Hospital where the had been rushed after they developed visual and abdominal complications while the other three were found in the dense Kamwaki forest near Limuru Girls High School.

Yesterday, Maina said six of the victims who are all men are members of the same extended family Mungai included.

"The were evading the police because there is a regular crackdown which has been going on every day in the area and so the dealer opted d to sell the brew from inside the forests and its there the victims begun complication and other died," she said.

Maina said its was discovered after some of the victims went home and started complaining of visual and sight problems and members of the public reported to the police.

After investigations, the police were led to a den where the brew was being sold only for them to find bodies lying nearby.