This archive report was first published on 11 October 2019.
On October 11, 2019, a tragic incident occurred in Busia County, Kenya, where a 37-year-old man lost his life after participating in a chang'aa drinking competition.
The competition, which took place in a local den, involved participants drinking five liters of the illicit brew, with the winner receiving Sh1,000 and 5 liters of the drink.
According to eyewitnesses, the deceased, Michael Ouma, downed three glasses of chang'aa in quick succession, beating five other contestants, but passed out thereafter.
His mother, Jackline Nabwire, revealed that Ouma had a drinking problem and had left home on the morning of the incident to join his friends at the local den.
"My son had a drinking problem. He drank three glasses continuously and later collapsed," Nabwire said.
Despite efforts to revive him, Ouma was pronounced dead at Busia Hospital, and his body was moved to Sega Mission Hospital Mortuary.
Two of his friends who participated in the competition were treated and discharged.
This incident comes months after another man died under similar circumstances in Bungoma County in April of the same year.
