Mt. Kenya leaders join forces to combat toxic brews

Community leaders, administrators, liquor traders, and youth in the Mt. Kenya region have joined forces in a renewed campaign against illicit alcohol, warning that the growing trade is claiming lives, destroying families, and undermining legitimate businesses.

The stakeholders spoke during the launch of Fake Alcohol Disaster: Rethink Drinks, a book authored by alcohol safety educator Washington Njuguna, popularly known as Wamucuthi, and the unveiling of ‘Operation Linda Mtumiaji wa Pombe,’ an initiative aimed at protecting consumers from harmful counterfeit and illicit alcoholic drinks.

Speaking at the forum held in Juja Sub-county on Friday, Njuguna described illicit alcohol as a silent killer that continues to rob young people of their future while exposing consumers to serious health risks.

“We cannot turn a blind eye while our communities are poisoned and killed silently. It is time to rethink drinks and put health, safety, and awareness first,” he said.

Njuguna observed that the prevalence of illicit alcohol has been attributed to tough economic times, pushing consumers to dangerous alternatives.

“They are sold at the lowest price that consumers purchase because they are affordable. They are mixed with poisonous industrial chemicals like methanol, formalin, battery acid, mortuary anti-freeze, jet fuel, roundup, car screen wash, nail polish removers, and paint strippers,” he explained.

The author went on to caution consumers about the fatal effects of these illicit alcohol substances.

“This is a disaster that leads to permanent damage to all body organs, like cancer of the lips, throat, heart, lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas, colon, reproductive systems, and bone marrow and ends in emergency wards and funerals,” Njuguna elaborated.

The campaign comes at a time when Kenya continues to grapple with a thriving illicit alcohol market. According to a study commissioned by the Alcoholic Beverages Association of Kenya (ABAK) and conducted by Euromonitor International, illicit alcohol accounted for about 59 per cent of all alcohol consumed in the country in 2024.

The study also found that 73 per cent of consumers surveyed admitted to knowingly consuming illicit alcohol, largely because it was more affordable.

The economic cost is equally staggering. The Anti-Counterfeit Authority estimates that Kenya loses approximately Sh71 billion annually in tax revenue due to illicit alcohol trade, while stakeholders appearing before Parliament this year placed the losses at more than Sh120 billion annually when broader tax leakages are considered.

John Mutonga, Chairman of the Murera Ward Bar Association, called on artists and community leaders to join hands in public education.

“Not everybody can stand on a stage and preach against illicit alcohol. But our artists can come together and create music that carries the message to the people,” he said.

Mutonga, who is also a member of the Agikuyu Council of Elders, described the campaign as a community responsibility.

“It is a war cry. As elders, we must fight this illicit alcohol,” he said, lamenting that many young men spend entire days drinking toxic brews before returning home without money or food.

Assistant Chief Alice Wambui of Ndaracha Area welcomed the initiative, saying that local administrators often struggle to distinguish legitimate liquor businesses from illegal operators.

“When we are given the mandate to fight illicit alcohol, we sometimes end up fighting even legitimate businesses because we cannot easily tell who is genuine and who is not,” she said.

She said collaboration between administrators and licensed liquor traders would help identify and eliminate illegal operators.

Edward Kameru, Assistant Chief of Twiga Area, representing the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) of Juja Sub-county at the forum, extended the DCC’s pledge towards the initiative.

“We will cooperate fully because now we can distinguish fake alcohol dealers from legitimate traders,” he said.

Licensed liquor traders attending the forum also expressed frustration over being associated with the harmful effects of illicit alcohol.

Ngugi wa Manyeki, Chairman of the Juja Sub-county Liquor Welfare Association, said legitimate businesses often face harassment despite complying with licensing and tax requirements.

“We have a crisis. It is unfair when legitimate liquor operators are harassed every day. We pay taxes just like any other business,” he said.

He proposed a joint campaign involving administrators and liquor traders to identify dens selling illicit brews across the sub-county.

Regina Gitau, one of the organizers and a licensed liquor trader, said this initiative will at long last restore positive public perception of licensed liquor traders.

“When we discussed why we are still demonized, we realized alcohol is often blamed for problems in many homes. But illicit alcohol is making the situation worse. That is why we have come together to fight it,” she added.

While much remains to be done, the organizers called for support from organizations such as the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) to spread their wings across every ward within the nation.

By Rose Muthoni