Tana River,KENYA:Residents of Mikinduni in Tana River have accused some authorities of working in cahoots with business people engaging in illicit brew business.
According to an area resident from Mikinduni who requested annonimity, more than 10 brewers were engaging in the brewing of Makole, a traditional brew common in Tana river in and they were enjoying police protection after bribing police officers.
“This Makole menace has has been complicated by the fact that policemen collect weekly bribes from the brewers hence allowing them to operate freely.Over ten notorious brewers have been arrested and released without reasonable grounds,” The source said.
Area chief Bashir Doyo confirmed to Baraka FM that some of the brewers had been arrested and released under unclear circumstances over the past few months.
“I don’t know of the ten but there are five brewers . We tried to arrest them only to find them released ,” Mr. Doyo said.
Doyo added that the five have constantly been escaping police dragnets by preparing their liqueur in a thicket near river Tana to avoid being arrested
Tana river county commissioner Mr. Oning’oi Ole Sosio confirmed the illicit brew business had cropped up in Tana River naming the towns of Garsen, Hola, Bura, Madogo, Mororo and their environs as those that have been badly affected .
Sosio added that other towns in the county have been put under close surveillance to monitor if the brewing was also taking place.
That comes as a crackdown against illicit brews in central Kenya is taking place .
