The country is yet
again coming to terms with the death of at least 70 Kenyans, not from terror
attacks but from illicit liquor! Sip of Death, Killer Drink and One for the
Dead are some of the headlines that ran on national televisions on Tuesday
evening! This is a tragedy that has successfully stolen
the show from the vicious strikes of terrorism! But in the heat of the
mourning, gnashing and lamentations, two things are clear. One, we have lost
Kenyans and families, friends and relatives are grieving, and two, the
reactions are just too late in the day!
It is the chilling tale of at least 60
Kenyans, across five counties, all turning victims to a killer bottle. Kiambu,
Kitui, Makueni, Embu and Murang’a have all fallen victim to a tragedy that
could have been avoided. Sadly, as these chang’aa dens and illicit liquors are
brewed and consumed, we all turn a blind eye. These brews are brewed and
consumed in the full glare of the public and the government officials. Somebody
makes a kill out of killing families, careers and the society. When the
inevitable death and dire consequences strike, we all run amok, government
officials and elected leaders visit the affected areas, console the victims and
as usual issues statements that are good enough to scare the bravest terrorists
in town! Kenyans join hands and cry as people turn blind and the not so lucky,
head to the grave. However days later, we all forget and will only remember
when the next tragedy strikes!
Our reactions to these chang’aa tragedies are
at best baffling. The public point figures at the government and accuse it of
ineptitude. In return, the government through her officials, issue tough
statements and threaten Armageddon to the culprits. Chiefs are sent on
compulsory leaves and somehow, no one takes full responsibility for the buck!
However all these are just the norm, and as
history has taught us, the tragedy returns to haunt the very people. We hardly
learn and simply put, we are poor and miserable students of history. Deaths and
dire consequences are all too common in the country, especially in the
countryside, ghetto and slums of our cities. The scripture repeats itself, from
manifestation to its devastating results. Yet all this while what we do is to
issue tough statements, mourn and cry together and dress-down some people for
sleeping on the job.
We all watch and turn a blind eye as chang’aa
is brewed and consumed. Our friends and close ones sip the deadly drink, all at
the excuse of poverty. We do not give it any thought. Law enforcers, government
officials and our elected leaders know about it. We let the illegal and immoral
business to thrive and flourish. The brewers and king-pins of chang’aa business
live amongst us. The society knows about them. We turn a blind eye, a deaf ear
and play oblivious of this chang’aa business. Only when its deadly and
unforgiving consequences strike and leave pain, death, agony and despondency on
the Kenyan society, do we suddenly huddle together, weep, cry, mourn, talk
tough, issue statements and threaten apocalypse on the known culprits. This lasts only days and we soon forget and
wait till the next tragedy that we dust our eyes and pretend to see!
We need decisive action by the law enforcers,
government, leaders and the ordinary mwananchi. With these casual and
pretentious reactions that we put on whenever the illicit brews bare their ugly
faces, the sun is fast disappearing in the horizon and soon, it will be too
late in the day! We are a society that is carelessly and fast slaying itself
through stupid and non-sensical behaviors
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