Anger as Kuresoi women desperately watch husbands drown in killer illicit brew
Lucy Wairimu and Margaret Njoki speak on the rise of illicit brew in Kuresoi North and how it has destroyed men in the village, during an interview on March 26, 2025.
Kuresoi North is grappling with the devastating effects of illicit brew, which has left many men as mere shadows of their former selves.
The crisis, long whispered about in hushed tones in Sasimwa village, exploded into public outrage after a middle-aged man was found dead on the morning of March 26.
While an official cause of death has not been established, angry villagers are convinced that illicit brew was to blame, pointing to his history of alcohol consumption and the deteriorating condition of many men in the community.
Enraged residents took matters into their own hands, descending on two homes suspected of selling the deadly brew and setting them ablaze.
Houses set a blaze by angry Sasimwa residents following the death of middle aged man from what they believe is consumption of illicit liquor on March 26,2025.
Angry chants filled the air as the structures burned, sending a clear message that the community had had enough. By the time the flames died down, only smoldering ruins remained.
“This illicit liquor has stolen our men from us,” laments Margaret Njoki. “They no longer provide for their families. All they do is drink from morning to evening.”
Njoki further revealed that young women in the village are now choosing to find husbands from other villages and even other counties due to the high levels of alcoholism among local men.
"Hakuna msichana atakubali mtu analewa kwanzia asubuhi. Kibarua ni ya sh 250 ama sh 200 na yote wanapeleka kwa pombe. Wale ambao wako na mabibi hawafikishi pesa nyumbani. Hawajali masomo ya watoto na jinsi ya kutunza familia zao," she laments.
Police carry the body of man suspected to have died from consumption of illicit brew in Kuresoi North while wrapped in a blanket into their car on March 26,2025.
Lucy Wairimu, another villager, spoke bitterly about the shame the alcohol epidemic has brought upon families.
Wairirmu says women are left to clean up after their drunken husbands, adding that the situation worsens when the men, too intoxicated to control themselves, defecate on themselves after long nights of drinking.
Further Wairimu notes the men have turned beggars borrowing as low as Sh 20 and top up Sh 50 so that they can drink.
Kuresoi North Sub-county police commander Judah Gathenge acknowledged the challenges authorities face in the fight against illicit brew.
Kuresoi North Sub-county police commander ,Judah Gathenge ,during an interview on March 26,2025 after residents of Sasimwa village burnt down two house believed to have illicit brew dens.
“One of the houses burned down belonged to a 90-year-old man who is a notorious liquor seller, and when caught, the courts show mercy and release him without any punishment, citing old age as the reason for leniency. This has happened on four occasions,” says Gathenge.
He added that an investigation has been launched into the matter and that a post-mortem examination will be conducted on the deceased to establish the exact cause of death.
Residents now hope that the tragedy will serve as a wake-up call to authorities. They want stronger enforcement, and a genuine commitment to eradicating illicit brew from their villages.
For now, however, many families continue to grieve not just for the man who lost his life, but for the countless others who are slowly wasting away, trapped in the grip of a deadly addiction.