Tala residents of Matungulu Sub County have been warned by the Local Administrators against brewing illicit alcohol (changaa) since it hinders development in the community.
Matungulu Deputy County Commissioner Eveline Wekesa was speaking at Ngomeni village in Katine of Tala sub location during an inspection of Changaa dens, where she told the locals that they should protect their village from the upsurge of illicit alcohol.
The DCC Wekesa further cautioned them that no developer or investor will be interested to invest in a community that has an upsurge of brewing and selling alcohol.
“Development can only be brought to sober people who are focused and communities that are ready for changes and development,” added Wekesa.
She said illicit alcohol attracts criminals and the environment becomes toxic for school going children since most of them are dropping out of school and have started selling alcohol and getting involved in petty crime.
“We are bringing children in the wrong environment and soon they will become criminals stealing in every homestead and selling illicit alcohol instead of focusing on education,” said Dcc Wekesa.
The DCC further warned the women and men of bringing curses on their families by encouraging their children and the youth to sell changaa instead of investing in education.
She noted that they as a community should come together and agree to ban selling of changaa in their village so that the leaders and local administrators will be encouraged to help them develop.
Wekesa pointed out that the schools are lacking enough children because most are involved in crime and warned the parents of arrest if they don’t take their children to school and send them on useless errands.
“The Chief and OCS in the area please prepare enough cells in your station for parents whose children will not be going to school from Monday to Friday by January 2024,” added the DCC.
She added that the Katine River where the changaa is brewed and used as a coolant has made the environment dry and killed farm produce, so they need to rehabilitate it by planting trees.
The OCPD Matungulu Peter Omondi said that the youth in the area cannot be found because they are busy committing crime and they will clear and arrest all those involved in brewing the illicit alcohol in Katine area.
He observed that there are no businesses going on in the Katine area since they are all focused on selling changaa.
NACADA Regional Director Alex Njeru said they built the Katine Vocational Training institute so that parents would take their children to further their education and stop selling changaa but things are still the same.
Njeru warned the youth who spend their time at the river brewing alcohol that they will be arrested them without warning because Nacada has their own police.
He said they are ready to undergo costs to stop the illicit brew in Katine since it’s getting worse and they need to protect the lives of citizens and especially the youth.
“As Nacada we are sympathizing with the locals here, so we will deal with the local brewers accordingly and we are ready to help where needed,” added Njeru.
Thomas Kivindio, a local leader and Community policing member lamented that they have buried many people in Katine because of taking changaa.
He added that most men that are dead, their sons and wives have taken to selling and drinking changaa so they need action from the authorities that will help the community and not meetings.
Thomas also noted that the Local school Ngomeni Primary has 145 pupils from class one to eight, which is not what they expected since most children are ending up at river Katine to help sell changaa with the help of their parents.
He requested the authorities to bring them more trees so that they plant in the dry and also to help them rehabilitate their river to help them in farming and improving their surroundings since the smell of changaa is always in the air.
The authorities also confiscated some 100 litres of changaa found hidden in bushes along the river where they poured the illicit brew and burnt containers.
This comes weeks after three Machakos based journalists were attacked when they visited the chang’aa den in Katine River to highlight the trade and were ambushed by the brewers.
The three, Mike Ndunda of Kamba TV, Richard Muasya (Athiani FM) and Boniface Mutisya (Mutongoi TV) sustained serious injuries and were rushed to receive treatment at Ruai Hospital in Tala.
The vehicle they were traveling in was also damaged and the County Police Commander Patrick Lobolia who confirmed the incident said two suspects had been arrested and were arraigned in court.
By Anne Kangero
