Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Pombe ya Kienyeji Yaua Kenya

Watu 14 wamepoteza maisha yao baada ya ya kunywa Pombe ya Kienyeji aina ya 'Chang'a huko Nairobi.

Habari kutoka CNN zinasema kuwa watu 11 zaidi wamelazwa na maumivu ya tumbo.

Mungu alaze roho za marehemu mahala pema mbinguni. AMEN.

Wadau, hii habari ya watu kufa baada ya kunywa pombe enye sumu ilikuwa jambo la kawaida Bongo miaka ya 19080's. Watu wengi walikuwa hawana uwezo wa kununua pombe za chupa, bia, Dodoma wine, Konyagi (wakati huo ndo pombe zilizokuwa zinapatikana tena kwa nadra). Basi watu walivyo na hamu ya pombe wakawa wanatengeneza ya kwao. Serikali ilifungua kiwanda cha Chibuku/Kibuku ili kupunguza watu kunywa pombe haramu. Waliongeza uzalishaji hapo. Lakini wapi, hiyo pombe ya kienyeji ilikuwa bado inapendwa na bei chee! mara nyingi hiyo ya kienyeji ilikuwa tamu zaidi! Mnakumbuka pombe zilizokuwa ziniatwa 'komoni' na 'pumu'? Wanafunzi wa UDSM walikuwa wanaenda Ubungo na Manzese kunywa!

Mimi mwenyewe nilipokuwa jeshini nilikuwa fundi wa kutengeneza mapipa ya pombe ya kienyeji! Yaani tukitengeneza pipa, ikishaiva nawaambia inaisha katika saa moja!!!!! Mara nyingi sisi wapishi tulikuwa tunambulia kikombe kimoja tu!!! Maafande waklivyokuwa na uchu wa hiyo pombe! Tena tulikuwa tunatengeneza kwa ruksa ya CO!

Pombe za kienyeji kwa kawaida hazina sumu, ila watu wakianza kuongeza makemikali eti kusudi iwe kali zaidi ndo inagueka sumu. Mabibi na mababu zetu walikuwa wanaitengeneza tangu hapo zamani za kale! Ni sanaa. Lakini uchu wa kupata pesa haraka inaua!

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Kutoka CNN.com

Illegal local brew kills 14 in Kenya

By Lillian Leposo, For CNN
July 27, 2010 8:15 a.m. EDT

Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- At least 14 people died in a Nairobi slum after drinking illegal local brew, which may have been laced with chemicals to make it more potent, a government official said.

Another 11 people from the Kibera area are hospitalized, complaining of stomach pains after drinking the brew popularly known as changa'a, said local official Richard Juma. Fifty-one people were arrested in a police raid for allegedly possessing changa'a, and were being held at a local police station, he said.

"As a government we are not happy about this incident," Juma said. "We will continue to raid where we think the brew dens are located until this menance is completely done away with."

While Juma said 14 people had died, police spokesman Eric Kiraithe put the number of deaths at six, saying police are investigating to determine the actual number of deaths and the number of those hospitalized.

A sample of the changa'a has been taken to a government chemist for testing.

Changa'a is sold cheaply in Nairobi slums. While it can take a long time to prepare, greedy brewers lace it with chemicals to hasten the process and to make it more potent. There have been a number of deaths from drinking changa'a in recent years, and other people been blinded.

"The reason these people continue to drink this harmful alcohol even with awareness of its deadly ramifications is because some of the residents here don't care about their lives, they'd rather drink all day," Juma said.

Samuel Chege was treated and released Monday at the Nairobi national hospital after consuming changa'a during a weekend drinking spree and experiencing stomach pains.

"I urge other people not to drink changa'a because you don't know how it has been prepared," he said.

Members of Parliament have passed a bill to legalize changa'a and other drinks, but the president has not yet signed it.

"In my opinion, it should not be legalized because the number of proprietors will increase and so will the number of drunks," Juma said.

Mary Nduku said her cousin died after drinking the deadly beverage. She said she was called home from work to find him lying on the floor of their house. He and a neighbor, who was also unconscious, were rushed to the hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.

"The government should work hard in stopping this problem," Nduku said. "We are losing too many people. Our people are dying and some are becoming blind. The government should not legalize this homemade local brew as there are people who will take advantage and make all sorts of alcohol."

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