Kilifi Defends Traditional Mnazi Brew Against Government Crackdown

Residents of Kilifi County have voiced their opposition to the ongoing crackdown on mnazi brew, a palm wine beverage, asserting that it is genuine wine and not illicit liquor.

They argue that the brew is naturally tapped from coconut trees, without any additives that would render it manufacturable, and are urging the government to remove it from the illicit liquor category.

Led by Kilifi Assembly Speaker Teddy Mwambire, the residents emphasized the various cultural and social uses of mnazi among the Mijikenda tribe, denouncing its categorization as illicit as an insult to the local community.

Mwambire, recently recognized as the best County Assembly Speaker in Kenya by E360 Organization, declared his refusal to stand idly by while mnazi sellers and users face harassment from law enforcement officers. He called for a round table discussion with local leaders to highlight the brew’s significance in Mijikenda culture.

“We have witnessed some individuals expressing dissatisfaction with the consumption of palm wine by our people in the Coast region. However, mnazi is not an illicit brew; it is a cultural and social wine,” Mwambire stated. He urged caution to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and the national government, urging them to learn more about mnazi before including it among illicit brews.

Additionally, Mwambire advocated for the recognition of coconut trees as cash crops deserving of government funding, citing Kilifi County’s integration of the tree and its products, including mnazi, as cash crops.

Despite Gachagua’s recent crackdown on illicit brews, including mnazi, in Mombasa, the move has led to increased harassment and extortion of traders and consumers of the wine in Malindi town.

Palm wine sellers like Mrs. Kaneno Changawa have decried the heightened harassment, with law enforcers demanding bribes of up to Sh. 2,000 from arrested individuals. Changawa emphasized mnazi’s longstanding cultural significance and urged authorities to support value addition rather than criminalization.

Similarly, Mr. James Ngali, a mnazi consumer, called on the national government to follow Kilifi County’s lead in recognizing palm wine’s importance, as many depend on it for their livelihoods.