The brew is so popular in many villages in Siaya, especially Ugenya, that it is an integral part of gifts offered top visitors in ceremonies like dowry payment.

The current crackdown on illicit brews, has netted over thousands of litres of chang'aa and over 90 people arrested since May in Siaya District.

‘As you are aware these drinks do not meet the required quality and standards and pose a health risk to consumers and must be investigated’, said sergeant Abwoka.

Suddenly, it appears there is mention of chang'aa in the village. Anyone asking for it is given strange looks by suspicious neighbors who have become wary of stealth police crackdown.

The D.O Madam Faith Kandagor in accompanied by Chief inspector Mr. Morris Katami, senior sergeant Mr. Stephen Abwoka and other police officers, for Ugenya recently got a shock when they raided chang'aa dens. Ever home they went to, they never found the owners but lucky enough they found 15litres of the illicit brews where they were hidden and were now forced to poured down the stuff.

The locals are urged not to bribe police officers while carrying out Chang'aa raids. In villages where the brew is made in bulk, police have been staging raids on a daily basis, pouring down drums and jerricans filled with chang'aa , since over 10 people died at shauri Moyo in Nairobi in April this year from the effects of contaminated chang'aa.

I strongly feel that , the government should actually develop a culture where they ( government) and development workers really understand the plight of the poor because the brewing of 'chang'aa ' comes as a result of poverty in the