Scars of illicit liquor that nearly wiped an entire village in Kangai

 It had been a month since he died after consuming illicit liquor. 

Agnes mentioned that visiting his grave and pulling out the weeds growing on it was a daily ritual she performed every morning. 

Despite being a painful exercise, Agnes said it was the only place she felt closer to her husband. 

Talking about her late husband was still a painful subject for her.

 She mentioned that she was still struggling to come to terms with being a widow at only 46 years old. 

Agnes explained that her husband was among the 21 people who had died in the village after consuming illicit liquor. 

She explained how his body had begun convulsing and shutting down immediately after consuming the brew. 

Agnes mentioned that his family had rushed him to the hospital, but he had been pronounced dead on arrival.

Less than 20 meters from her home, Boniface was also grieving. He explained that it had been a double blow to his family as he had lost his sister and nephew. 

The deaths of the 21 who had died had broken down the fabric of the community. 

Boniface mentioned that every homestead either had a grave or a person who had lost their sight as a result of the illicit brew. 

Families went about their daily chores in hushed tones, their masked faces barely hiding the constant pain they carried.

Joseph was among the scores who had lost their sight. He explained how one act of enjoying a drink with his peers after a day’s labor had plunged his world into darkness. 

He mentioned that he and his neighbor Sammy had temporarily lost their consciousness after imbibing the beer. 

Luckily, they had been taken to the hospital, but even though that had saved their lives, they had lost their sight. 

Joseph explained that their entire existence now depended on their relatives who took care of them.

Gabriel Ng'ang'a, a victim's son, expressed his struggle, mentioning, "That afternoon, I would have gone there, my problem was just money. If I had it, I would have gone there."

Their only hope now lies in the support of their relatives, as William Miatu, a relative, emphasized, "Those who lost their sight should be provided with assistance so they can sustain themselves because now they depend on their parents, and parents are elderly and weak."