A 63-year-old man has died in Taachasis village, Njoro Sub-County, Nakuru County, amid suspicions that he consumed illicit alcohol, triggering anger among residents who torched two houses allegedly linked to the illegal brew trade.
The incident sparked tension in the area as residents accused the occupants of the houses of engaging in the sale of illicit alcohol, which they blamed for deaths and other problems in the community.
Two women whose houses were destroyed, Norah Koech and Melvin Chemutai, told Chamgei FM that a group of residents, accompanied by people they described as suspected children of the deceased, descended on their homes, set them on fire and destroyed their belongings.
Koech, a mother of 10 children, and Chemutai denied involvement in the illicit alcohol business, insisting that they had stopped the trade three months ago.
The two said the destruction of their homes was unjustified, arguing that they had not been responsible for the man's death.
Chemutai further disputed claims linking the death to their premises, saying the man was not at their house when he collapsed.
According to her account, the deceased collapsed in another woman's house about two kilometres away after reportedly visiting a different house.
The circumstances surrounding the man's death, including what he consumed before collapsing, were not independently established in the information available.
However, area Assistant Chief Thomas Ndianiani said authorities had recently confiscated suspected illicit alcohol allegedly associated with the two women.
Ndianiani said the seized brews were taken to the Government Chemist for examination after being recovered about two weeks ago.
The assistant chief also raised concerns that some illicit alcohol brewers had repeatedly attempted to resume the business despite ongoing efforts by authorities to stop the trade.
He said enforcement operations had been targeting those suspected of producing or selling illegal brews, but some individuals had continued trying to reintroduce the business.
The burning of the two houses also raises concerns about residents taking the law into their own hands instead of allowing investigations to establish responsibility.
The suspected alcohol linked to the women is still undergoing examination by the Government Chemist.
