'Consuming Poison': Kenyan Senator Sounds Alarm as Illicit Alcohol Surges

Illicit brewing is one of Kenya's most threatening problems, affecting young people, families and potentially the entire society of the country, Kenya's Nandi County Senator Samson Cherargei said in an interview with Sputnik Africa.

He highlighted the serious health side effects and the addictive nature of the illicit alcohol, especially for the younger population who should be in their productive years.

"This is one of the dangerous aspects in the country and most of the communities here. There's what we call illicit brew. And some of them have very serious health side effects and they have caused addiction among the young people. The young people, who normally should be the productive age, where they are addicted to alcohol and they can't therefore be productive," the senator said.

Continuing on the impact of illegal alcohol on society, Cherargei noted that addiction affects both families, leading to the breakdown of marriages, and the employment sector, with teachers and civil servants leaving their jobs due to addiction. As for families, illicit brewing undermines procreation, the senator added, noting that women complain that their husbands are unable to fulfill their conjugal rights because of the side effects of alcohol.

The legislator also underscored the severe health consequences, including liver damage, losing sight, reproductive issues, mental disorders, and even loss of life. He attributed some of the health problems to the fact that formalin, a substance used to preserve dead bodies, is being used to make illegal alcohol.

"My brother, this is poison that you are consuming into your body. So you can imagine naturally there will be some reaction because it is not fit for human consumption and some of the consequences are health issues, including reproductive issues. Even some of the people become zombies. They have mental disorders after consuming because these are poisonous substances," Cherargei pointed out.

The senator revealed that illicit brewing has been a persistent problem, dating back to the late '90s and early 2000s. He also expressed the gravity of the situation, recounting instances where lives were lost due to the consumption of poisonous substances used in the production of illicit alcohol.

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Noting that the issue is now causing public outrage in Kenya, Cherargei took a swipe at critics of his remarks, pointing to their ignorance.

"It is that the society, the people who are criticizing my statement, does not want to read in reality," the lawmaker said. "I think people who are just criticizing online, are people who are just ignorant."

Addressing potential solutions, Cherargei called for stricter enforcement by the Kenya Bureau of Standards and stressed the importance of ensuring that all alcohol sold meets regulatory health standards. The senator also urged county governments to conduct due diligence before issuing licenses to bars.

"The challenge we are having as a country is because most of the licensing are being done by county governments and some of the county governments are licensing some of these bars at the expense of checking. You find a more center, even of less than 4000, have, like a hundred bars that are selling alcohol," he remarked.

In addition, the lawmaker underscored the need for the government to provide alternative means of livelihood for those engaged in illegal brewing, along with the establishment of rehabilitation centers to help individuals overcome addiction.

Concluding, Cherargei expressed his optimism in tackling the problem of illicit alcohol in Kenya and applauded the government's efforts, particularly acknowledging President William Ruto and his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua for their commitment to eradication of alcoholism, drug abuse and substance addiction.

"It [the situation] will get better because the national government has been very keen. So you can imagine that government has put its weight and most of the local authorities have been given instructions that they must deal with alcohol in any part and in every part that is illegal, that is illicit and drug abuse that affects the young people and Kenyans in general," the senator concluded.

Earlier this week, the senator in his social media posts called on religious leaders in the country to help Kenyans fight drug abuse and the menace of illicit brewing.