For Kenyans to enjoy their favorite drinks during this festive season they might be forced to dig deeper into their pockets or they might be forced to take some personal loans. Reason? the prices for local manufactured spirits has skyrocketed by over 50% ,within the last few weeks leading up to the Christmas festivities.
The prices for Napoleon, Flying Horse, Titan and an assortment of locally manufactured or bottled Spirits has seen a sharp increase due to the effects of the impending famine. The president recently issued a statement declaring a state of emergency, due to the famine that is threatening over ten million of the most vulnerable Kenyans.
Underlying Causes.
The justification for this sharp rise, several months away from the next reading of the budget is that, the government will use the money accrued from this "Sin Tax", to subsidize the price of maize flour, a staple in this country of some 36 million. The government will thus use this increase in government revenue to import cheap grain from overseas, grain that will be used to increase the countries strategic grain reserves.
These reserves will in turn be used to feed the 10 million vulnerable Kenyans who are on the verge of starvation. So for the Kenyan's who just can't make do without their favorite locally manufactured gin, rum or brandy they will have two options to not have spirits for Christmas or to take out a payday loan. Banks are sure to cash out on this since Kenya is a nation of avowed drinkers.
Undesirable Outcomes.
However the result might boomerang on the governments noble intentions by driving the urban poor slum dwellers, like those in Kibera a slum of some 1 million people. Kibera is Africa's largest slum located a stones throw of Nairobi the capital city of Kenya ,here the resident's who provide most of the menial labor in the city, might be forced to drink moonshine with it's attendant public health hazards.
Recently several people were hospitalized after they drank adulterated moonshine, here popularly known as changaa. Though it has been declared illegal in Kenya, changaa consumption is rife in the slums since it usually is the drink of choice that is easily affordable by the average resident. To popularize their drinking dens the "mama pima's", sheebeen owners, have been known to spike their drinks with industrial alcohol, methanol, or even in extreme cases Battery Acid.
Prison Deaths.
It is generally believed this gives the drink a kick and will thus ensure that with the minimum amount of money cashed out by the customer; maximum value will be derived in terms of getting high, i.e. optimal returns on investment. This has led to a number of deaths in the recent past, with the latest being in the countries Kamiti Maximum Prison where the countries most dangerous criminals are housed.
In this incident the inmates made a deadly concoction that was a mixture of turpentine oil thinner which they had sneaked in from the prison workshop. They then proceeded to make a deadly cocktail which they consumed on Christmas day to make the birth of the Christ. However their celebrations were short lived as a few hours after an estimated 15 inmates had consumed their celebratory drink they began to convulse while suffering from acute stomach pains.
Eventually four inmates died while a further 8 were hospitalized with some having lost their eyesight and the others in critical condition. So to avoid such eventuality Kenyan drinkers will have to choose between drinking these deadly homemade drinks, and taking out personal loans if they want to continue enjoying the safer but now highly priced locally manufactured Spirits.
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