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Young men and women are drifting to alcoholism. The educated ones resort to cheap whiskies from run-of-the-mill distilleries. The rural folk resort to chang’aa from Mama Pima. Bhang isn’t far off as well to give punch to the frenzy.
The drinking is indiscriminate. They would indulge during the day when they are supposed to be working or during the night usually from dusk to dawn. They would then take quick naps in between drinking binges.
This young man had one too many of the cheap liquor-not surprisingly, during the day. As he staggered home, he found the going tough and slumped on the side of the road to take a quick nap.
After he was done he went his way. He said they had been drinking with friends at a local pub but they left him.
So, where does the money they pay for drinks come from? Some make their money in their own ways. From doing menial jobs, others would be in regular employment and would drink when they are off-duty or during the weekends.
Interestingly, some of the youths get the money from parents and relatives, who don’t know they use it to buy drinks.
The “Mututho rules” were meant to tame the extreme abuse of alcohol. Turns out, the law enforcers together with the owners of bars routinely ignore the laws. Besides, the sellers of the cheap drinks never observe the rule that bars them from selling alcohol to underage citizens. There have been cases of school-going children found drunk after consuming alcohol.
It is high time the powers that be reined in this scourge before it takes its toll on our young population. The damage is beginning to take effect, especially when the most productive segment of the population is got up.
