Mautuma residents in Lugari Sub County have been warned against turning into drinking of illicit brew, due to belief in a fallacy that it cures the COVID-19 disease. In a crackdown conducted in Mugunga B and Kewa villages of Mbagara sub location led by Mautuma location Chief Pamela Davava Kulali and her assistant Jocelyn Juma, thousands of liters of the brew and the brewing apparatus were destroyed with three people being arrested.
Speaking to west Media after the crackdown Mrs. Kulali regretted the high number of residents who have turned to drinking the brew with the number of brewers also increasing in the area. She said following the ongoing efforts to curb the spread of the Coronavirus that has led to closure of bars, most drunkards have resorted to taking the illicit brew especially in the evening hours during curfew time.
She added that some residents have misinterpreted the directive to use alcohol based sanitizers to and have opted to drink chang’aa as an excuse that it will help to destroy the virus. She warned that such behaviour will not be tolerated saying only preventive measures given by the government will help curb the spread of the killer virus but not through drinking of illicit brew.
During the crackdown 1,000 liters of busaa and 800 liters of Kangara were destroyed with three people; Jomo Passam, Maurine Wafula and Esther Nasike arrested with 20, 10 and 10 litres of chang’aa respectively. Mrs. Kulali has vowed to continue with the crackdown within her area of jurisdiction and ensure residents abide by the law.