The death toll at the Mabera poisonous drinking spree has jumped to 12 after nine other people were confirmed dead on Thursday morning.
Kuria West police boss Cleti Kimaiyo told the Star that six other victims are admitted to several hospitals and in critical condition, with all suffering from full or partial blindness.
“Those hospitalised are in critical condition as police have launched investigations into the incident,” Kimaiyo said.
He said police have also increased patrols in the area after villagers threatened to lynch and burn three homes where the illicit brew was sold.
“The crowd started vandalising and beating up residents in one of the homesteads and were repulsed before they could set it ablaze, there is tension but the situation is in control,” Kimaiyo said.
He said a crackdown in the area has so far led to the arrest of two chang’aa sellers who will be arraigned on Thursday.
Over 1,500 litres of the brew and distilling apparatus were destroyed.
On Tuesday night Kubweye villagers on a drinking spree started complaining of poor vision, breathing problems and difficulty in talking before the alarm set in after three drinking dens experienced the same problems from revellers.
“Alcohol was also bought from one supplier and when he reduced the price of alcohol saying it was more strong villagers thronged there,” Peterson Chacha, an elder said.
A seller who had bought the day’s supplies was among the first to die after she started testing the new content to confirm the potency.
“They went to drink at night and when they came back they started complaining, at first we thought it was a normal effect of alcohol before we were alarmed when other drinkers complained of the same,” Nancy Chacha, a resident said
Kubweye village elder Patel Matiko Nyamohanga said the victims were rushed to local hospitals and the villagers said they were shocked when the number of deaths started increasing.
“We have never experienced this in the area as local brewers often use maize and local materials until someone dumped a chemical in the area,” Nyamohanga said.
