For years’ on-end … banning unauthorized liquor like Magagada, Baruda and Ambuye N’tengeni has been one national aspiration.
However, bylaws notwithstanding; this aspiration has just been more on paper than reality. No wonder, illicit alcohol like Magagada, Baruda and Ambuye N’tengeni have enjoyed their presence, popularity and marketability.
It would appear no-one has cared until eight people had to lose their lives in Manase, Blantyre in that fateful April, 2024 when Ambuye N’tengeni left the nation in shock after twelve others were hospitalized at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital or Queens for consuming this illicit alcohol.
For a society often reactive … not surprising the Police moved-in to arrest the brewers; raising questions over laws and regulations guiding production and sell of such unauthorized liquor products.
A grieving Andrew M’bwana – uncle to one of the deceased, Effort Pemba is still lost-of-words, he wonders why law enforcers are idle on impounding such commodities given all the regulatory instruments at their disposal.
“These deaths have dealt us a huge blow. How shall we explain that our relatives died of alcohol?” queries M’bwana.
Reflecting on these deaths and hospitalizations … Queens and Blantyre District Health Office authorities see “horror and disturbance” wondering why in a modern society people must be dying for alcohol consumption.
Dr. Gift Kawalazila – director of health and social services for the health office feels the loss of these lives and hospitalization must be treated as a wake-up call with regards to enforcement of regulations mostly for the informal sectors.
He says; losing eight people to consumption of alcohol with high concentration levels, should be a thing of the past hence advising consumers to embrace brands accepted by government regulatory bodies like the Malawi Bureau of Standards.
“And for those into alcohol production; I would urge them to follow all laid out procedures that are required and have all the right certification because facilitating loss of life, like it happened in Manase is an offence,” says Dr. Kawalazila.
Equally, Shaffi Mdala – deputy director for Queens concurs, he feels, this Ambuye N’tengeni episode presents an opportunity for standard regulators to spread their wings beyond the formal market space.
He thinks, there could be more of these incidents, where people are either dying or falling sick to such alcohol products which aren’t been tested or certified and falling short of meeting acceptable consumption standards.
Because it isn’t for hospitals nor health authorities; Malawi Police Service thinks policing standardization of products on the market seems it’s their equally their joint responsibility with the bureau of standards hence the arrest and prosecution of Ambuye N’tengeni brewers.
Joseph Sauka – police spokesperson commits “time has come for consistent presence of police officers on the ground to monitor compliance of those selling illicit liquor with certification”.
Whilst the Police would seem to make sense but a health rights think-tank Malawi Health Equity Network sees some loopholes.
For instance; George Jobe – executive director for the network questions how the police would be impounding illicit alcohol products without the Malawi Bureau of Standards certifying and standardizing these commodities.
“The bureau of standards should lead the way and begin testing locally brewed alcohol not yet standardized or else we continue to put at risk many especially those consuming these products,” says Jobe.
Confessing to the shortfalls; the bureau agrees, deputy director of quality assurance responsible for certification and inspectorate services, Demster Kumvenji says regulating the informal alcohol space has been a challenge – not an oversight.
However, moving forward; he commits to strengthening existing structures for building capacity of this “often neglected sector”.
Loss of life, Kumvenji says it’s sad, and losing lives in the manner of the Manase incident, he adds “even more regrettable … but we can do better by empowering manufacturers at this level to start adhering to standards and also if consumers begin to consume only products with MBS certification”.
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