Police holding host's widow to help with investigations into what could have transpired

A family lost four relatives after they allegedly drank 'muratina', a traditional brew, at a party in Mwania Mbogo village, Gatanga, Murang'a County.

Three brothers - James Malii, who was the host, Peter Malii and Paul Malii - and their nephew Musyoki Syombua, died at Thika Level Five Hospital where they were taken for treatment when they complained of abdominal pains.

They had been at a family party on Friday before they fell ill on Saturday.

The deaths occurred barely three weeks after Central Regional Co-ordinator Wilson Njega and Murang’a County Commissioner John Elungata raised concerns about the consumption of illicit brews in parts of Maragua and Gatanga sub-counties.

Residents said the host had invited his relatives and a few neighbours for a party where they drank muratina alongside food as they celebrated the opening of his new house.

Neighbours called for investigations to help establish what could have happened.

“It is a mystery that we drank the traditional brew together and went home without any complaints. It is sad that we have lost four members of a family after they drank what we had left behind,” said a neighbour who declined to be named.

Police are holding the host's widow to help with investigations into what could have transpired when the brew was stored in her house on Friday.

GOVERNMENT CHEMIST

Acting County Police Commander David Kandie said a sample of the brew has been collected and was waiting to be taken to the Government Chemist for analysis.

Criminal Investigation Directorate officers in Gatanga are conducting the investigations.

“Reports from the Government Chemist will shed light on what could have happened to enable the police decide the next course of action,” said Mr Kandie.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) in conjunction with Taita Taveta County has intensified a crackdown on vendors selling adulterated milk to unsuspecting customers.

At the weekend, KDB and county enforcement officers arrested three suspects for allegedly selling hundreds of litres of contaminated milk to the public.

The three, who will appear in court this week, were arrested with more than 600 litres of milk on the Wundanyi-Mwatate road. Officials said the milk was laced with water to increase its volume.

According to senior KDB officials who led the operation, the milk that was being transported from Taita Hills to Voi was mixed with water.

Taita Hills produces the bulk of milk in the county. The milk is sold in Voi town and its environs as well as Mombasa town.

The KDB officials also said the unsafe milk was being transported in banned plastic containers.

Speaking to The Standard, the officials noted that cases of vendors transporting milk in unauthorised containers had been on the increase.