Residents sound alarm over toxic alcohol killing youth in Juja, Kiambu county

Residents of Witeithie village in Juja Sub-county, Kiambu County, have raised alarm over the rampant sale of second-generation liquor, which they say has claimed several lives and fuelled drug trafficking in the area.

The residents, alongside licensed bar operators, accuse operators of unlicensed drinking dens of selling cheap and potentially lethal alcoholic drinks, giving them an unfair business advantage while denying the government tax revenue.

At least three people are reported to have died after consuming the illicit brews, which residents claim are supplied from various locations, including Kenol in Murang’a County.

One resident, Joseph Thuku, said his younger brother, George Chege, succumbed to complications linked to excessive consumption of the cheap alcohol, which retails at between Sh25 and Sh30 per serving.

“My brother died as a result of consuming these cheap drinks. I appeal to the government to take action and end this menace,” Thuku said.

According to him, Chege was once a thriving small-scale trader who had begun constructing a Sh2 million house in their rural home in Murang’a before becoming addicted to the illicit liquor.

“He had even started constructing a house worth Sh2 million before he became addicted to the illicit liquor. This led him to separate from his wife before he fell ill and eventually died from liver failure,” he added.

Residents further allege that some of the illegal alcohol joints have become conduits for trafficking drugs and other contraband substances.

Among the establishments singled out by locals are Metro Pub, Sting Pub, Igembe Pub and Immars Pub, which they claim operate under the guise of wines and spirits outlets but remain open day and night despite lacking the necessary licences.

During visits to some of the premises, it was observed that although the outlets appeared closed from the outside, customers gained entry by unhooking doors from their hinges.

The dens reportedly attract large numbers of customers, particularly touts and casual labourers from the busy Witeithie highway stage, from as early as 8 a.m. Residents also expressed concern over the presence of underage patrons, some believed to be teenagers.

Villagers further accused some chiefs and security officers of turning a blind eye to the illegal trade, alleging that operators regularly bribe officials to evade crackdowns.

However, Juja Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Ndege said authorities had received complaints and formed a multi-agency team to address the problem.

“We are taking decisive action involving a multi-agency team. I do not want to divulge details of the operation because we do not want their moles to leak information,” Ndege said.

Licensed bar owner Paul Karanja lamented that the proliferation of cheap illicit alcohol has severely hurt legitimate businesses.

“Unfortunately, consumers of these brews dictate the market. They do not care about the effects of the lethal substances they consume; they simply want to get drunk,” Karanja said, adding that many genuine liquor businesses have suffered losses or shut down altogether due to dwindling clientele.

Residents also pointed to a suspected drug and illicit alcohol dealer popularly known as “Bena”, whom they claim has repeatedly been arrested, prosecuted and jailed, only to resume his activities upon release.

The allegations have also cast the spotlight on the Kiambu County Government, which is mandated to license alcohol outlets.

Efforts to obtain comment from county officials were unsuccessful as they could not be reached.