Traditionally made by distilling grain like millet and maize (corn), modern-day chang'aa is commonly laced with toxic substances to speed up fermentation and add potency, Kimani said.Ĭhang'aa - known colloquially "kill me quick" - has been known to do exactly that, with cases of drinkers being poisoned by a bad batch or even suffering blindness or death. Even their faces had changed," said the 30-year-old, who founded Vision Bearerz Youth Group in 2017. "Within three years you could not even recognise them. "We also know that chang'aa isn't bad, because at the end of the day it brings something to the table and allows families to survive," he told AFP in Mathare.īut its effect on drinkers is undeniably harmful, and Kimani swore never to touch a drop after witnessing firsthand its devastating impact on friends and neighbours. He gave up the activity to help young people in the community find alternative livelihoods. The whole issue is complex, says Moses Kimani, a second-generation chang'aa maker from Mathare. Others, though, acknowledge that the chang'aa also brings deep health and social problems - and regulation brings the chance of addressing them.
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