The Paradox of Alcohol Control Policies in Kenya: Culture versus Policy: A Case of Illicit Brew Control in Kakamega and Uasin Gishu Counties, Kenya

Abstract

Human beings discovered alcoholic beverages in prehistoric times. It was a product of natural fermentation but was later produced deliberately from starchy and sugary plants (Keller, 1979). It dated back to over 7000 BC (Phillips, 2014) and was described biblically in the era of Lot and Noah when drunkenness was widespread thus, closely linked to the history of mankind (Waithima and Wahome, 2019). The use of alcoholic beverages around the world is said to be as old as agriculture (Myadze and Rwomire, 2014). People, throughout the history of nations, were familiar with alcoholic beverages used during festivities such as marriage, birth celebrations, and successful hunting (Hamdan-Mansour, 2016). The advancement in technology has led to large scale alcohol production and consumption and expanded the alcohol market. Alcohol is attributed to 5% of the global burden of diseases and is the leading risk factor causing mortality and morbidity in the world (GDB, 2013). Consumption of alcohol contributes to a 5.2% global burden of diseases (Mkuu, Barry, Swahn, and Nafukho (2019) through increased exposure to HIV infections, cardiovascular diseases, pneumonia, and tuberculosis (Mkuu, Barry, Ishino, and Amuta, 2018). Approximately 3.3 million deaths in 2012 were attributed to alcohol misuse (WHO, 2014). The effects of alcohol consumption are adverse, ranging from health risks among individuals, family, friends, and society at large (Sudhinaraset, Wigglesworth, and Tekeuchi (2016). Globally, alcoholic beverages are of two kinds; recorded and unrecorded alcohol. The recorded alcohol are formal alcoholic beverages with standardized production. They are regulated, controlled, and legally sold within specified territories. The unrecorded alcohol is unregulated, hence, illicitly produced by either unlicensed industries or homebrewed, smuggled across borders, consumed in unregistered jurisdictions and surrogate alcohol, not intended for human consumption (Mkuu, Barry, Ishino, and Amuta, 2018). Cultural norms are strong predictors of alcohol consumption regardless of race and ethnicity. They vary across continents, nations, and communities (Sudhinaraset, Wiggleworth, and Tekeuchi, 2016). Some communities value alcohol consumption others demonize it (Monaco et al, 2020). As a cultural artifact, the norms regulating the consumption of

Influence of Illicit Brews on Security in Rongai Sub-County, Nakuru County Kenya

“…The brews are part and parcel of the cultural and social life of people hence it is difficult for the government illicit brew control policies to succeed. The finding supports Kipchumba (2017) who argues that the presence of cultural values on unrecorded alcohol, multiple stakeholders in controlling the brews and national constitution protecting people's cultural heritage further derailed control efforts by the National Government Administrative officers.…”