If you thought that Kenyans were the most drinkers of alcohol, you might be shocked to hear this; they are not! A new study shows that Kenyans are surprisingly low drinkers, lower than their Ugandan and Tanzanian counterparts and lowest in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
The data was released by Institute of Economy affairs, are research company that digs raw data on economy.
The statistics for Kenya showed that we take an average 3.4 litres per capita and Uganda 9.5 litres, almost as thrice as much!
The government has been recently cracking don alcohol consumption with an objective to fight illicit liqours an addiction.
In central Kenya for instance, Kiambu County has been leading in campaigns against addiction to alcohol where drunkards were admitted to a rehabilitation facility.
An interesting drinking habit among Kenyans is that they traditionally brew illicit alcohol which turns out toxic, different from their Ugandan and Tanzanian counter parts whose traditional brews are licensed
In Kenya, consumption of illicit and home brewed alcohol compose over 44%of total consumption
Further in the study is that Kenya still struggles to get pure alcohol products and the plight pushes people to unlicensed liqours.
Kenya has produce some of the most poisonous liqour products which ended up killing people.
In 2011 for instance, around 20 people died in Nyahururu after consuming a brew by the name ‘Yokozuna’ produced by a famous wine maker Amario.
High taxation has led high costs in beer production which in turn makes people to find home and illicit brews as an alternative.