William Ruto: Our home used to be a chang'aa and busaa brewing den

Busaa and chang’aa talks, and whether Kenyans should depend on proceeds from the brews for economic empowerment featured prominently during the late Soita Shitanda’s funeral in Kakamega.

Deputy President William Ruto and Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale told mourners that they grew up in homes where chang’aa was an everyday affair.

“Before he received salvation, my father’s home was brewing alcohol,” said Ruto, “but we don’t want to return to that path of brewing chang’aa and busaa for our children to get money for education.

That’s why we came up with programmes in dairy and sugarcane farming to ensure our children don’t rely on chang’aa and busaa brewing for their education.”

The DP’s revelations were made after Khalwale eulogised Soita as a friend with whom they shared much besides coming from a relatively humble background whose chief economy driver was illicit brew.

“Soita’s mother, Nasumbu in Butali village, brewed chang’aa whose proceeds educated Soita to become a minister. My mother Shinangoi used proceeds from chang’aa to educate me to the level of a medical doctor,” said Khalwale amid cheers from the crowd.

Khalwale has been known to post bail for chang’aa brewers to be released from police cells and has repeatedly warned against profiling of chang’aa brewing as a crime in Kakamega.