CAMPAIGN TO WIPE OUT ILLEGAL BREW INTOXICATED ENVIRONMENT
By
Samwel Doe
Alcohol has been part of our culture and some biblical
verses seem to somehow support it, for example People who are sad are advised
to drink beer to temporarily erase their troubles (Proverbs 31:6). Yet the Biblical authors also call for moderation.
Several passages condemn those who consumed too much beer (Isaiah 5:11, 28:7; Proverbs 20:1, 31:4). The absence of beer defines a melancholy situation, according to Isaiah 24:9. Over the years, thousands of Kenyans have been killed,
blinded or rendered sterile by drinking lethal concoctions something which has
forced the government to announce stringent measures to help curb the industry movers.
In February, a popular Kiambu wine and spirit bar called
“Kwa Njeri” touted the fact it was selling the great tasting moonwalker on its
Facebook page and it was actually revealed by the number of likes and comments
that people loved it so much. The only problem? Moonwalker was legally approved
by Kenya Bureau of standards and was sold openly in wine and spirits bars as
cheap as kshs. 120 per bottle, the bar was operating on a 24 hrs basis as early
as 6am against the Mututho laws. Revelers could walk in numbers asking for
their half a bottle “Kanusu”or “kahalf” to unlock themselves. What made it even
stranger was the notice that the spirit bottles had to be returned to the
counter and five shillings could be refunded for the bottle which would be refilled
with other drinks and sold back. This was undoubtedly the most successful waste
diversion program in Kenya. I personally thought that recycling industry should
all recycle standard bottles and inert glass containers to help reduce pressure
on landfill space and significantly reduce pollution and green house gas (GHG)
emissions.
An anonymous tipster who noticed how environment friendly
the spirit dealers were getting by ordering that the bottles be returned,
alerted police. The police sent undercover agents to various brew distillation
dens and found out that actually the brewers were using chemical substances to
lace up their drinks. Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia was documented with
Capital FM News saying that some samples collected in Embu when illegal alcohol
christened “Country man” killed several
people in those two counties revealed it had 70 percent of Methanol while the
concentration in Makueni was 100 percent .According to the Health Secretary,
the only component allowed in brews is 40 percent ethanol and he wondered how
Methanol found its way in the deadly alcohol. Acute (short-term) or chronic
(long-term) exposure of humans to methanol by inhalation or ingestion may
result in blurred vision, headache, dizziness, nausea, and sometimes may cause brain
damage.
Brewing operations have been around for a long time.
About 6,000years ago the Sumerians had discovered the fermentation process.
Africans too used beer to celebrate occasions and to them it was a social phenomenon.
According to Senior Assistant Chief Banana sub-location,Kiambaa location, Kiambu
county Mr. Paul Kanyoro “drinks in the
past did not cause any harm because knowledge was little, but now people mix
many drugs into the drinks making people get so much drunk and sometimes kills.”
Today, the brewing industry is a global business,
consisting of several dominant multinational companies
many thousands of smaller producers ranging from backstreet brewers, to
illegal brewers , the famous wines and spirits business
have erupted out of demand and considered a cash cow for Kenya’s alcohol traders.
Wine and spirits Bars sprout up more than churches in towns and shopping
centres.The most worrying trend for drinkers was that every year, countless
numbers of Kenyans could risk their health and their lives drinking illegal alcohol.
Some could die drinking and for others the increase of societal problems was
directly linked to alcohol drinking.
Normally, traditionally there will be nothing wrong with
beer drinking, but now illegal and second genera’s products which were and
still are sold in Kenya are risky to health. Most of them are never tested if
safe for consumption. They are being distilled in unhygienic conditions.
Several Deaths and blindness from alcoholic drinks contaminated with methanol
or other chemicals were commonly reported by the Kenyan media. Despite Some
alcoholic manufacturers claiming legality there has been massive consumer risks,
but research shows that the underground world of illegal brew in Kenya is still
growing rapidly. In plain sight, the taxi driver, matatu torts, the grocery
store dealer, students ,their teachers,husbands,wives and their siblings and
whole society could be seen staggering - the closer you looked the
omnipresence of the drunkenness could be seen everywhere. The Kenyan
President Uhuru Kenyatta saw alcoholism as a problem beyond family quotas and
declared illegal brews as business of death.
After several drinking into stupor concerns had been raised
here and there and people were losing health and genitalia.The President
ordered for the cheap spirits alcoholic drinks crackdown. This followed a
meeting with Central Kenya Members of Parliament at State House. Since then,
large quantities of alcohol, referred to as “second generation” has been carelessly disposed in the environment,
alcohol bottles destroyed, many chemicals suspected to be methanol poured down
our rivers and land and hundreds of people arrested. The fight against
alcoholism took an unfortunate turn. Politicians and security officers who were
leading rowdy crowds vandalized legitimate businesses and illegal drinking dens
as well. It forced President Uhuru who had ordered for the crackdown campaign
to warn members of the public and security officers to act with modesty in their
way of operation.
Alice Nyambura a bar owner whose business was adversely
affected by the campaign attested that for the fight to be won it should be not
done the way being championed by the women of Nyeri,Or by Ferdinand Waititu
egged on by Jubilee bigwigs. The flames and anger that are directed at
legitimate businesses like Keroche Breweries are not the solution. NAKURU East
MP David Gikaria was a best example for environment polluter when he was
charged before a Nakuru court with disposing waste in undesignated area.
Gikaria was accused of disposing liquor bottles and boxes on a public highway
on diverse dates between July 11and 16 in Nakuru town. He collected the waste
from raided factories and depots during a crackdown on illicit brews and
second-generation alcohol. The National Environment Management Authority sued
Gikaria for illegal dumping of waste.
As Crates of second generation liquor worth million were
being disposed of, number environmental
issues were not taken into consideration .For traders it was a loss of business
to those who raided it was a great opportunity for some to buy the beer for a
song as it was later on auctioned. The health hazard implications were clearly
seen when drinking dens in Thika town were being raided. Traders quickly and
swiftly dumped alcoholic drinks in cartons on the Thika-Garissa road where some
Kiandutu slum residents collected and sold it at throw-away prices."They
were selling it for Sh50 per 250ml bottle. If you bought three you would get
one for free. Patients at Thika level five hospital who were rushed after
revealing signs of poisoning they later confessed “I took three bottles but
after 30 minutes, I felt stomach pains. I was brought to the hospital by my
neighbor," David Mbugua said from his hospital bed. This was a clear fault
on the crackdown process since disposals were not done considering their
effects to the people.
However some members of the public strongly agree it has
helped them manage and control their thirst. “I agree that the crackdown has
helped” Says Alex Kagwanja an addict. There are people who were ready to quit
and needed just that little push. The availability of cheap alcohol made it
hard for me to quit if the government maintains the pressure we will see
reduction in the number of alcoholics. He adds. Charles Karanja although
reveals that Alcohol has existed for millennia. He thinks it is safe to say, it
will survive the current siege it is under. It has survived such misguided
policies like prohibition; it will survive like a cockroach after a nuclear
meltdown. You can reduce the flow, but you will never stop it. I think it is
safe to say the industry will outlive the campaign .They are more innovators
and Entrepreneurs who were inadequately represented at the just recently concluded Global entrepreneurship summit held
in Nairobi he adds.
Mr. Karanja an addict himself said the sudden change of
Alcohol supply shortages affected him with Alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The
symptoms that occur when a heavy drinker suddenly stops or significantly
reduces their alcohol intake. He experiences a combination of physical and
emotional symptoms, from mild anxiety and fatigue to nausea. Some symptoms of
AWS are as severe as hallucinations and seizures. At its most extreme, AWS can
be life-threatening as it causes tremors anxiety nausea and/or vomiting,
headache, increased heart rate, sweating, irritability, confusion, insomnia and
nightmares.
