Police officers in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county, have registered a breakthrough in their fight against second-generation alcohol.
The officers, acting on a tipoff from members of the public on Thursday, September 11, 2025, seized ethanol valued at Ksh 500,000.
Where did Eldoret police find illicit ethanol?
According to Uasin Gishu County Police Commander Benjamin Mwanthi, the ethanol was found in water containers hidden inside sand at a construction site.
“These ethanol when mixed with water can destroy the lives of many young people, especially in this area where we have many university and college students,” Mwanthi told journalists at Central Police Station in Eldoret on Friday, September 12, 2025.
Police are now pursuing the owner of the house under construction where the ethanol was found.
Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr Eddyson Nyale, on his part, issued a stern warning to individuals involved in the ethanol business.
He said they will face the full force of the law irrespective of their status in society. The warning comes after claims that some powerful politicians in the county were protecting those involved in the illegal trade.
“As a county security team, we want to assure members of the public that Uasin Gishu shall remain free from ethanol, and we are planning to scale the up the operation in partnership with other government agencies so that we ensure this menace doesn’t exist,” Nyale said.
The county commissioner said the latest consignment is the third in three months that the police have seized.
He also pointed out that Eldoret has been a target for those dealing with ethanol, which is used to manufacture second-generation liquor due to the high number of young people, especially students.
Eldoret hosts several public and private universities as well as middle-level colleges.
Why is ethanol a controlled product in Kenya?
Ethanol is a controlled product in Kenya primarily because it is a key raw material used in the production of illicit and counterfeit alcoholic beverages, which pose significant public health and safety risks.
The unregulated production and consumption of these drinks, such as the dangerous artisanal spirit known as chang’aa, have led to numerous deaths and health complications due to high ethanol content and the presence of toxic congeners.
