- Two elderly men in Ngitana village, Igembe North, have died after drinking a suspected poisonous liquor known as “Mucege”.
- Five others have been admitted to Nyambene Level Four Hospital in serious condition as fear grips the area
- Meru county commissioner, Jacob Ouma, has ordered a crackdown and investigation into the weak implementation of the liquor ban.
Meru – Tragedy has struck the village of Ngitana in Igembe North, after two elderly people died following the consumption of illegal alcohol suspected to be poisonous.
Source: Facebook
Confirming the incident, the Meru county commissioner, Jacob Ouma, said the two men died on the spot, while five others were admitted to Nyambene Level Four Hospital in critical condition.
He said preliminary investigations point to a locally brewed liquor known as “Mucege,” which may have been laced with a toxic substance.
What happened before Meru’s victims passed out?
According to witnesses, the victims started complaining of severe stomach pain and vomiting shortly after drinking the drink.
Panic spread through the village as the men passed out one by one, while others lost consciousness before help arrived.
In a shocking development, residents reported that the suspected liquor dealer also died after tasting his own product.
The man, who was said to have been running an illegal liquor booth for years despite repeated warnings, passed out shortly after taking a sample of the liquor.
Ouma expressed disappointment at the negligence that led to the tragedy and vowed to take strict action against those responsible for controlling alcohol consumption in the area.
“The day before yesterday we held a big meeting and we spoke openly. We said that every chief and assistant chief should go to the villages and village elders to deal with the abuse of alcohol. I am sorry that, instead of fighting alcohol, alcohol has been allowed to harm people,” he said.
What action does the government take after Meru’s death?
Ouma added that the government will not tolerate negligence from local officials and security officers tasked with enforcing the ban on illegal liquor.
He instructed the police commander to initiate an immediate investigation to identify the source of the dangerous drink and arrest those behind its production.
“This shows that people have failed to perform their duties. We will not sit idle. I will not do the work of the deputy chief. I will not do the work of the chief. I am not DO or ACC. I will not do the work of OCS or OCPD. First, we want to know exactly what these people drank. The police commander must investigate immediately. The police leadership must take action, send officers and provide personnel who can help the public,” he said.
Source: Twitter
Health officials at Nyambene Level Four Hospital confirmed that the five survivors were being closely monitored.
Some of them have reportedly shown signs of improvement, while others remain in critical condition at the facility.
Medical workers said initial tests indicated possible chemical contamination, but samples have been sent to a government laboratory for further analysis.
Meanwhile, the county’s security teams have launched a search across Igembe North to shut down illegal breweries.
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