The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has warned the community in Chief Mkhanya’s Chiefdom in Mambwe district against drug abuse.
This follows complaints by the traditional leader to First Lady Esther Lungu when she last visited his chiefdom on the increased number of pupils indulging in the drinking of illicit beer commonly known as “kachasu”.
Speaking when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief, DEC Eastern Region
Commander Martin Chitamba said the province has continued to battle with the abuse of drugs and that the vice has continue to top the list of problems that the Commission deals with.
He said officials from the Commission were in the area to educate the community so that they are not caught napping when the law visits them.
“We will talk to the local people here so that they are fully aware of our operations. We do not just arrest but also educate the people so that they are fully aware of the consequences of their actions”, he added.
And the chief once again stressed the need to stiffen regulations surrounding the brewing and drinking of the illicit beer.
“I complained bitterly when the First Lady was here, and I am still worried to date. The law is strictly being enforced on drugs like marijuana but it is different with this beer despite the consequences being almost the same. This is why stakeholders need to act fast before our children completely ruin their future”, he lamented.
He said the future of young people is at stake because those brewing and drinking the local beer are not punished hence making the trend seem normal.
He however said that he was happy to see that DEC was following up on the matter.
“Your coming here today shows that you are concerned. Talk to the people, and see how we sort out this issue, together”, he explained.
And at the same meeting, Elizabeth Kabudula thanked the commission for alerting the community on the dangers of drug abuse as well as the operations of the commission.
She said the intervention might help some of the young people realize they are risking their lives, and start taking school seriously.
“These young people do not even respect us, we are hope they have taken one or two lessons from this meeting to mend their behavior”, she said.
Please outlaw this kachasu stuff its made in very unhygienic conditions and its a poverty inducer.
Its already outlawed my brother but the law cant keep up. Police are usually too busy defending the President from people criticizing him. They cant go looking for Kachasu Brewers when the President is crying because of too many insults from indisciplined citizens. He needs this Police defence because he is too weak to stand such insults.
Why singling out Kachasu because every Alcohol is abused here. Selective sensitization on dangers of substance abuse.
Kachasulite is no different from Tujilijili which the government has embraced infact tujilijili has only made these Asian businessmen richer strangely enough themselves don’t consume it
Mambwe district that far what more near state house were she resides? brewing and consumption is happening and DEC is just watching spare us this bull shit
These people must be given assistance so that they commercialise the kachasu brewing
I think its time we gave up. We ve been fighting Kachasu brewers for ages with no success. Shouldn’t we adopt a different tactic? Teach these brewers how to make a safer drink? Perhaps regulate and therefore reduce the alcohol content in the drink?
Government should find a way of helping these people to formalise kachasu brewing…it’s their source of livelihood
Kachasu is the devil’s piss. We need a task force setup to raid all the illegal brewers and charge them. This stuff has destroyed many lives.
My former garden boy lost his ways due to this stuff. I had to fire the young man as he came to work drunk on numerous occasions. Even after offering to buy him safer expensive alcohol he still went back to that nasty stuff. We need alcohol anonymous centres within our communities which are accessible to all
Support local industry by formalising them
There is nothing absolutely wrong with Kachasu, like Marijuana it was only demonized by the colonial masters because it was a threat to their western oriented alcohol business. The small scale Kachasu brewers can be given a market so that they form coparatives where they could be selling so that in this central factory with a laboratory Kachasu can then be blended for local consumption and for export. All what these small scale brewers need is guidance on the safer ways to distill and blend it, not condemning their brilliance day in day out, Some of us went up to university because our parents brewed Kachasu for a living, its not dangerous when consumed with care. After all, any alcholic drink if abused is dangerous. Wake up now, Kachasu will and can never be eradicated, just restrategise…
Just watching intambi
So, DEC waits for someone to complain through someone considered important for them to work.
How long has Kachasu been worsting people’s lungs?