Over 10,000 Litres of Illicit Brew Destroyed in Kahawa West Raid

Distillation drums and boiling tanks dismantled during a raid on an illicit alcohol den in Soweto village, Kahawa West.

More than 10,000 litres of illicit brew were destroyed on Saturday morning after the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), in collaboration with security agencies, mounted a major raid in Soweto village, Kahawa West, Nairobi.

The dawn operation, which began around 5:00 a.m., targeted a brewing hub notorious for producing kangara and chang’aa. Startled brewers fled the scene, abandoning their equipment and stock as officers moved in. By 8:30 a.m., police and administrators had confiscated 30 jerricans of chang’aa, dismantled distillation drums, and destroyed large boiling tanks to prevent resumption of the trade.

The crackdown is part of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen’s 100-day rapid-results initiative, which seeks to eliminate the manufacture and distribution of illicit and counterfeit alcohol across the country.

NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Anthony Omerikwa hailed the operation as a decisive step in safeguarding public health.

“This is a clear signal to the peddlers of death that their days are numbered. We are working tirelessly with our partners to ensure Kenyans are protected from the dangers of illicit brews,” he stated.

Dr. Omerikwa further urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities through NACADA’s 24-hour toll-free hotline: 1192.

The raid underscores the government’s renewed determination to dismantle underground networks of illegal brewers that have long posed a threat to communities, particularly in urban settlements.

Reporting by: Babz Abdul Raheem N.
Date: August 23, 2025