A sombre mood engulfed Kawolo village, Ndivisi ward in Webuye East sub county after a young man was found in his house dead under unclear circumstances. According to the deceased’s mother Grace Nangekhe, his son who had separated from his wife for a while now, had been drinking heavily. She said he wasn’t eating, although she used to give him food and a day before his body was found, he never showed up, leading her to think he was at the chang’aa den.
The following morning he also didn’t turn up and she went to his house only to find the door locked from inside. One of his siblings was called and he broke the window, only to find the man’s lifeless body on his bed. She said her son had resorted to drinking after his marriage started experiencing problems and attempts to offer him advice and guidance were futile. Grace has urged youths to share their problems with either church or clan elders when they encounter problems.
The village elder Peter Makokha said some youths from Kawolo village and by extension Webuye sub county, are turning to chang’aa and that the government will work together with elders to eradicate the illicit brewing vice. However, he faulted some parents for not offering proper guidance to their children, saying this has led to increase in teen pregnancy cases and school dropouts.