Hundreds of women from Limanet area in Narok North Sub County today held a peaceful demonstration to push the police to release seven youths arrested for assaulting a notorious illicit liquor brewer.
The women matched from their homes to Narok Police station, about 20 kilometers away carrying twigs to express their anger to the police bosses.
One of the demonstrators Susan Tuyoto said the women were furious because of a recent incident where they youth had arrested a woman they alleged sold illicit brew in the area and after one day, she was released from police custody.
The women said seven of the youth who were involved in arresting the woman brewer were also arrested, an incident that annoyed the residents.
She decried that the illicit brews had left many homes suffering abject poverty as men sold their livestock to buy the outlawed alcohol.
Letuno Tiyot said despite their effort to fight the illicit brew, the notorious woman was very adamant as she sold the alcohol to people working in the quarries and in tomato farms.
“This problem has persisted for over six years and despite us trying to resolve it, nothing has ever changed. Recently, we arrested the main brewer but we are shocked she was released immediately,” said Tiyot.
An elder who accompanied the women Mzee John Ole Naeni claimed that two people have lost their lives in the last few days because of the illicit brew.
He called on the police to intensify the fight against outlawed alcohol in the area as it was affecting their livelihood.
However, Narok North Police boss Frederick Kibenei explained to the demonstrators that the woman had a right of being released after paying a police bond.
The sub county police commandant said the seven youths were arrested after they confessed to have beaten the woman and injured her fingers according to the report from the hospital.
He however praised them for their effort to fight illicit brew in the area but warned them against taking the law in their hands.
“The mistake the youth made is taking the law in their hands to beat the suspect. No one is supposed to harm anyone, not even the police,” said Kebenei.
He asked the demonstrators to bring the illicit brew for exhibit because no sample was brought to the police.
By Ann Salaton
