At least a dozen people have been admitted to Mumbwa district hospital after taking a suspected poisoned traditionally brewed drink known as Munkoyo.
Central Province police commanding officer Simon Mpande said the 12, all from Kapikaya village in chief Kaindu’s area in Mumbwa district, drank the locally brewed drink yesterday and started showing signs of unconsciousness and dizziness.
Mr. Mpande said the 12 were then rushed to the hospital.
He could however not disclose the current condition of the victims saying he had not received the latest report.
He has since advised brewers of munkoyo to be careful with the roots they use to avoid endangering people’s lives.
In another development, a former headman in chief Shaibila’s area in Mkushi district has died after a fight with a teacher over some alleged unsettled old scores.
Mr. Mpande said the 32 year old deceased, who is also an ex-prisoner, had allegedly accused the teacher, Albert Moonga, of having played a major role in his imprisonment.
Mr. Mpande explained that a fight then ensued but the deceased was overpowered and sustained injuries to the head. He was then taken to the police station where he later died.
Mr. Mpande said the police are holding Moonga, who is a teacher at Kafwa Basic School in Mkushi, to help with investigations.
ZANIS
munkoyo suuwaa,itss wilddd
How could the police take a person with head injury to the police station instead of calling paramedics to treat the seriouly injuried FIRST? Are they only manda manda’s in case of emergency’s?
My favorite drink and the best there is for me is Munkoyo. Sad wrong ingredients were used. Wish you a quick recovery and God bless.
Munkoyo-Always has a story to tell. Why not try nthobwa from the east. Its good and no one has died from taking it. Police stations do not have paramedics. Surely how do you take the injured and throw him in cells. Where is our humanity. He was suppose to be taken to hospital at least.
iyi ninsala, people are desperate and want to fill their stomachs with anything as long as such things will stop the rumblings due to empty space in the belly and end result is food poisoning.
#4. You are right pipo always think they know the Roots for Munkoyo, but end up using poison instead. The roots are yellow or brown in colour, so if pipo dont know, they are better of using millet. But most pipo like the one made from roots, as it tastes better.
If any blogger fancy Munkoyo, you can come to my place. I have a big pot that i prepared. all welcome.
Why did the police take a casualty to police cells, they should have taken him to the hospital?Ba IG could you please help solve this matter.
So police have killed this chap a former headman in chief Shaibila’s area in Mkushi district,32 year old deceased, who is also an ex-prisoner.
Munkoyo is so nice…Sad those people used wrong ingredients
That old law should be revised so that no one should end up like the poor headman in chief Shaibila area in mkushi. First medication and then arrest the person.
Munkoyo is super than shake shake or chibuku too bad to our brothers and sisters involved . May the good Lord restore their health quickly.
Nthobwa is common in eastern province but munkoyo is national wide.
Ba Lola Rose where are you in UK, might take you up on the offer?
Ladies and gentlemen I wish to point out that this article about munkoyo is not clear, those cooks may have been brewing munkoyo for years. I suspect that the containers used were contaminated by some solutions such as logo used in spraying cotton. Did they (12) drink from one vendor? What information they extract from the seller(s)..
The headman was taken to the wrong place. Why taking him to policestation instaed of to the hospital or nearby clinic?
#6 Lola Rose.
It is not enough for you to say only the colours of the roots. Proceed on telling us the name of the plant that produces the munkoyo roots.. And if u are telling the truth that u brew munkoyo in uk, where do u get the munkoyo roots???
Munkoyo roots are extracted from the rhynchosia venulosa tree. There are different types of munkoyo roots on the market obtained from different trees in the same family as rhynchosia. but care must be taken when identifying these trees (trees are closely related and may be hard to identify therefore collectors must be experts) as some of them are poisonous. So maybe the brewers are not to blame it could have been the source of the roots.