Exhibit of ethanol brought to Eldama Ravine Law Courts on February 16, 2026 following the arrest of some suspects.
Before dawn in Poror in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County, the village remains eerily quiet.
But for families here, the silence is only temporary.
Over the past year, more than 10 young lives in Poror village alone have been claimed by lethal ethanol-laced brews.
For the Toroitich family, grief has become routine. Their nephew Kelvin Kipkurui, 27, collapsed and died at his doorstep last week.
An undated picture of Kelvin Kipkurui, 27, from Poror village in Eldama Ravine in Baringo County who died due to complications related to excessive consumption of illicit brews.
“His drinking got so bad he would only come home to steal household items and sell them to buy alcohol,” says his aunt, Alice Toroitich.
By December, Kelvin’s health had deteriorated sharply as his skin had yellowed and he could barely walk.
Doctors at Eldama Ravine Sub-County Hospital confirmed severe liver and kidney damage caused by alcohol.
Kelvin was discharged with strict instructions to abstain, yet a day after returning home, he vanished for hours. When he came back, he was coughing and vomiting blood.
A week later, Kelvin collapsed at his doorstep, never to rise again.
“Another life has been lost to poisoned brews .In normal circumstances, children bury parents. Here in Poror, parents bury children,” his aunt says.
Kelvin is not alone.
Family members during the burial of Kelvin Kipkurui (inset) at Poror village in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County on February 17, 2026.
Justus Kiptoo, a father of eight, died after consuming suspected ethanol-laced alcohol.
Church for alcoholics
“My brother’s organs were destroyed and he succumbed to complications,” said his brother Kaisang Kirui. Villagers have had to organise frequent fundraisers to pay for burials or medical treatment for survivors of alcohol poisoning.
But even respected professionals are not spared. Mark Chumba, a primary school teacher, has spent decades addicted to alcohol.
“I borrow more than Sh30,000 to drink. I stay in dens until the money is gone then return home empty-handed. I am too weak to walk,” he says. His drinking has left him frail and frequently hospitalised at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Residents of Eldama Ravine in Baringo County protest outside the Eldama Ravine Law Courts on February 16, 2026. The residents want the courts to impose hefty fines on suspects charged with being in possession of illicit brews.
Amid the despair, some residents are fighting back. Reverend Lawrence Bomet started a church for alcoholics and drug users in his compound.
“My village had a bad reputation for illegal brewing. I wanted to bridge the gap between the church and those struggling with addiction,” he explains.
The church offers counseling, shelter and mentorship but the scale of the problem often overwhelms even the best-intentioned efforts.
Part of the challenge is that brewers appear untouchable. At Eldama Ravine Law Courts on Monday, more than 10 illicit brew cases were listed.
Reverend Lawrence Bomet (centre, in blue shirt), the founder of the Upendo Fellowship inspects a new church building under construction at Poror village in Eldama Ravine sub- County on September 7, 2025.
Among those arraigned was James Nderitu Karemi, charged with being in possession of 255 litres of unaccustomed ethanol valued at Sh612,000.
The court heard the ethanol was packed in 10 containers of 25 litres each and a five-litre jerrican, attracting an excise duty of Sh452,880. He denied the charges. Bail terms are to be determined on Wednesday.
But this is not his first brush with the law as the brewer has multiple cases dating back to 2018 when he was sentenced to three years in prison for possession of ethanol but was later acquitted on appeal. A 2022 case involving 47 litres of ethanol was withdrawn in January 2024.
Another case concluded with an acquittal in January 2023. He also has an ongoing case in the same court, for which he was released on a Sh1 million bond.
James Nderitu Karemi before the Eldama Ravine Law Court in Baringo County, following his arrest for being in possession of 255 litres of unaccustomed ethanol valued at Sh612,000.
In a separate case, Ms Christina Kabon Ruto was arraigned after being found in possession of 160 litres of busaa in Kapyemit village. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison or a Sh1 million fine. She, too, has faced similar charges previously.
Residents allege that influential individuals shield offenders and even high bail terms are quickly paid so suspects can resume operations and the courts’ leniency frustrates residents.
“Suspects are arrested, released on bond and continue to sell poisoned alcohol,” says Rev Lawrence Bomet.
Baringo Senator William Cheptumo also recently echoed the outrage in the Senate saying “We cannot lose a generation to poisoned alcohol. Stricter penalties are long overdue.”
Police describe the brewers as highly organised.
“Some have fortified homes, CCTV cameras and even flush ethanol down toilets during raids,” said Eldama Ravine Sub-County Police Commander Bernard Indeke in an interview with the Daily Nation.
The situation in Eldama Ravine has been compounded by poverty, rising crime and disengaged youth who see drinking dens as the only escape.
According to the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), 4.7 million Kenyans aged 15–65 use at least one substance.
Residents of Eldama Ravine in Baringo County protest outside the Eldama Ravine Law Courts on February 16, 2026. The residents want the courts to impose hefty fines on suspects charged with being in possession of illicit brews.
Alcohol remains the most widely abused with 3.2 million users. Early initiation is rampant children start consuming alcohol as early as seven years old. Among alcohol users, 42percent are classified as addicted.
Kenya’s new National Policy on the Prevention of Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Use adopted in June 2025, aims to raise the legal drinking age to 21 and restrict sales near schools, religious sites and through home deliveries.
But in Eldama Ravine, the law feels distant as families continue to bury their young and communities live under the shadow of poisoned brews.
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