Illicit liquor wipes out young men as elders watch

This weekend I learnt of the passing of three young men, two of whom I knew personally. The three had one thing in common—they were alcoholics. I’m not talking about the expensive drinks middle class Kenyans love.

They were addicted to illicit liquor.

The bodies of the young men gave up after years of alcohol abuse and they died. A year or so ago, another young man I knew who was also a heavy partaker of illicit liquor developed liver problems and died.

These are just four men in my small circle who have died from illicit liquor abuse in just two years, Lord knows how many more outside my circle are dying even as I write this.

Thinking of these young men, their lives cut short even before they hit 30, once again reminded me just what a crappy government we have. Chiefs and police know very well of the existence of illicit liquor dens but do nothing to stop them. Oh, occasionally they will come out to be seen to be doing something, then they will go back to business as usual.

I also got to thinking. Abuse of illicit liquor is not just a problem in urban informal settlements but the villages as well. In the villages we have elders beside the police and chiefs.

Politicians are always seeking out these elders for endorsement so that would mean their word still counts for something, right? Why then have the elders not come out to fight this menace that’s claiming the lives of young people?

They will make a big fuss over a shrine they think has been desecrated. They will curse a certain wealthy Kenyan for siding with another Kenyan who just happens to speak a different language. They will offer sacrifice to a tree. They will insist on upholding bizarre burial rituals.

But they will sit back and watch brewers of illicit liquor wipe out an entire generation.

What happened to ensuring the community’s continuity (young men are dying childless), not just traditions and customs? I thought that was the duty of elders in Traditional African Society?

We ask women to give birth to more children but with what men? The zombified young men who spend every waking moment in liquor dens? Society needs to step up to the plate, and it should start with the elders.