Kenyans are brewing chang'aa in the Middle East, Foreign Affairs CS Mutua says

Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua has disclosed that there are Kenyans in the diaspora who brew illicit alcohol for a living in some of the countries in the Middle East where even consumption of alcohol is illegal.

Speaking on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show on Wednesday, Dr. Mutua while commending Kenyans for their creativity in matters of business lightly delved into the issue of how some engage in illegal acts which have resulted in some of the sufferings of diaspora citizens, particularly in the Gulf.

He referred to the customs in some of the countries among them Qatar which is against alcohol, saying that some of Kenyans in the illicit brew business have found themselves being arrested and deported for violating the laws abroad.

“We are taking care of all Kenyans in Qatar and we are the government speaking the truth …Kenyans are business people, and in some of these countries in the Middle East, alcohol is illegal...” CS Mutua said.

“Do you know there are Kenyans brewing chang’aa in some of these countries? It breaks my heart that we are here debating about getting Kenyans there while there are Kenyans there with chang’aa dens, selling chang’aa to other Africans, an illegality of illegality in a Muslim country.”

CS Mutua highlighted the repercussions of such acts in the Gulf saying they were also weakening the Kenyan passport and crippling the government's efforts in dealing with issues of welfare for its citizens abroad.

“It is creative but we can be creative in other sectors. Some of them are losing their sight due to chang’aa. The things they are doing here they are doing there. That weakens our passport and bargaining points,” he stated.

The CS, therefore, cautioned Kenyans in the diaspora against undertaking illegal business saying President William Ruto’s government would be keen to take action on any law violators.

"We are there for you and this government is longing to work for you from corner to corner to make sure you grow up with hope and dream that whatever you dream can come true… you don’t have to undertake all these illegal activities to make money," Mutua noted.

Dr Mutua added: “We don’t have mercy on you…you get rounded up and deported, we welcome you here and when you are convicted there, we will let them come and take them to Kamiti because chang’aa is also illegal here.”