At least 26 die after drinking illicit alcohol in Kenya
September 15th, 2011 - 1:47 am ICT by BNO NewsNAIROBI (BNO NEWS) — At least 26 people have died in several parts of Kenya this week after consuming illicit alcohol with extreme levels of methanol, local media reported on Wednesday.
Radio Citizen reported that the death toll has risen to at least seven in Ruiru, a town near the capital of Nairobi, while nineteen others have died in the towns of Ol Kalou in Central Province and Nyahururu in Rift Valley Province. Several people remain hospitalized, including some who have been blinded.
Police said the victims drank from bottles of illegal alcohol known as Yokozuna, which contained fatal levels of methanol. Officials fear the death toll could still rise and have urged people to avoid drinking any illegal alcohol.
“We shall organize a massive swoop on the local depots and bars in the affected towns to get rid of the illegal spirits circulating in our jurisdictional areas,” Nyahururu District Commissioner Lucy Mulili was quoted as saying by the Africa Review, which is owned by Kenya’s Nation Media Group.
According to The Standard newspaper, police have arrested at least nine suspects who are believed to have manufactured the illegal brew. The newspaper said among those arrested was a prominent local businessman, but gave no other details.
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Tags: bno, businessman, central province, citizen, death toll, district commissioner, extreme levels, illegal alcohol, jurisdictional areas, kalou, kenya nairobi, local media, lucy, methanol, nation media group, radio, rift valley province, spirits, swoop, yokozuna