Toll from lethal brew hits 21 after students die

The number of people killed by toxic brews in the North Rift has risen to 21 after seven more men — among them a 16-year old Form One and two university students — died after drinking adulterated spirits in Eldoret at the weekend.

Uasin Gishu County commissioner Sunday banned the sale of spirits in the area indefinitely.

Mr Abdi Hassan said after a crisis meeting with other county leaders, that the countywide ban would take effect immediately.
“We have resolved to immediately ban the sale of any spirit in the county until the results of samples that have been sent to Nairobi for analysis are brought back,” he said.

Deputy President William Ruto expressed concern over the continued loss of lives to illegal alcohol consumption and directed the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (Nacada) and the police to intensify efforts to eradicate illicit brews.

Mr Ruto also asked the county governments to speed up passing of laws to regulate the sale and distribution of alcohol.
“It is a shame that we can still lose lives to alcohol at this age,” Mr Ruto said at Longisa African Gospel Church in Bomet County.

Mr Hassan said police had arrested nine suspects who were assisting with investigations while 43 people who had taken the toxic brews had been taken to hospital.

Among the seven people who died yesterday was Obed Makori, a student at Tumaini High School. His father, Mr Amos Makori, was among 10 people who died in a road accident on the Nandi Hills-Kisumu road in March.

The two Moi University students succumbed on Saturday night at the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital Eldoret after consuming the Meakins brand of spirit in Langas and Kesses respectively.

Received 12 patients

Dr Francis Ogaro, the deputy director of the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, yesterday said five men were still undergoing treatment with three of them in critical condition.

“We received 12 patients on Friday but lost seven of them while two are still in the ICU. Three of them are admitted to the emergency ward,” Dr Ogaro said.

The  deaths brought the number of those killed in the region to 21 over the last four days. Thirteen have died in Kabsabet and one in Kiplombe since Thursday.

According to one of the patients, a Third Year media student at Moi University in Kesses, Mr Paul Ong’esa, a friend bought the liquor at a nearby bus stop and gave them to drink in their rooms.
“We were supposed to go for a party but a friend bought the liquor,” he said.

Mr Ong’esa said he didn’t go to the party but instead went to sleep and only found himself in hospital.

“I went to bed after consuming the liquor and from there I don’t remember what transpired,” he said.

He said that he had tried calling the friends he had been drinking with him but their phones were switched off.

Post-exposure examination
The lethal brew had been consumed in Langas, Maili Nne, Huruma and Kesses, according to the county’s chief executive in charge of health, Dr Eunice Siria.

“We are urging all those who drunk this brew Meakins in the affected areas and are still at home to immediately report to MTRH for post-exposure examination without any charges,” said Dr Siria, who also confirmed the closure of two outlets in the town.

The Moi University Students Organisation chairman, Mr George Bush, accused some officials in the institution’s administration of protecting the suppliers of alcohol sold near the university.

‘We have tried to shut them down several times but they always come back. We know they have the protection of some officials who we are going to name very soon,” he said.