Chang’aa on its way to your favourite bar

File | NATION
Guests during an earlier Easy FM beach party at Mombasa Beach Hotel. In just six months, chang’aa could be part of the drinks on the table.

What you need to know:

  • Kibaki’s stroke of the pen expected to lead to professionally brewed and distilled drinks

The country may soon see the proliferation of small but regulated brewers of chang’aa with the presidential nod of the Alcohol Bill.

President Kibaki’s stroke of a pen is expected to lead to better packaging of the drink, and Kenyans could soon experience intense competition between small brewers and the established ones.

The Alcohol Bill got a presidential assent in a gazette notice and seeks to legalise traditional drinks such as chang’aa, muratina and mnazi, which will be packaged in glass bottles.

The Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill sponsored by the Naivasha MP John Mututho was assented to and intends to change the manufacture, consumption and advertising of alcohol.

The Bill reads: “Chang’aa shall only be manufactured, packed, sold and distributed in glass bottles.

The move is expected to put pressure on beer and spirit manufacturers like East African Breweries, Kenya Wines Agencies, and the Naivasha-based Keroche Industries.

On Wednesday, Kenya Wines Agencies, welcomed the new law, saying it would save lives lost in consumption of illicit brews.

“It will encourage Kenyans to drink safe drinks,” public affairs manager Gordon Mutugi told the Nation. But he called for a clearer definition of chang’aa.

In July, 12 people were confirmed dead and an unknown number left blind after consuming an illegal drink in Nairobi’s Kibera slum.

Experts say that legalising the traditional liquor is expected to rekindle intense competition for control of the bottom-end of the market that has become the growth segment of the beer market due to the declining buying power.

Bar owners in July called on President Kibaki not to assent to the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2009 unless it was revised.

Pubs and Restaurants Association of Kenya boss Sam Ikwaye took issue with Section 58 of the Bill, saying it allowed police to unfairly seize stock from drinking outlets.

“The Bill empowers the police to seize stock from your premises if you are not in good books with the city council.”

The Nandi North Kenya National Union of Teachers branch had also protested against the Alcohol Bill getting the nod as several teachers had lost jobs over alcohol, and urged the government not to legalise brews which might affect education.

While the new law does not outlaw the selling of alcohol in supermarkets or corner shops, it requires that all outlets selling alcohol be licensed; and that sales within supermarkets be in closed-off areas where entry to minors is restricted.

Editor's note:

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that; “Big brewers have six months to start distilling chang’aa and lower the price of their drinks”.

There is no such requirement in the new law. There is no clause making it a requirement for EABL or any other brewer to start distilling chang’aa; either within six months or any other time limit. What the Act does is repeal the law outlawing chang’aa, and make provision by which chang’aa or any other alcoholic drinks may be brewed or distilled and packaged in a safe, hygienic licensed regime.