Businessman Augustus Kyalo Muli who was recently installed as the patron of Anzauni clan has filed a petition at the Kitui Law Court seeking to legalize kamba traditional drinks.
Muli wants popular Kamba traditional drinks such as Kaluvu and Mawa legalized.
According to a petition seen by Mauvoo news, Muli points out that each of these drinks have significance to the Akamba people and the government has been frustrating the effort to keep this tradition on grounds that they are Illicit and do not conform to the Alcoholic Drink Control Act.
“Traditional alcoholic drinks were widely used by the Akamba people during socio-cultural Ceremonies such as rites of passage, reconciliations, dances, births, marriages, burials, Funeral celebrations, welcoming a guest, sealing a contract, agricultural cooperatives, Thatching a roof, domestic construction projects (barn raising), discussions between village Elders, social gatherings at home and the market,” stated Muli in his petition.
According to Muli, declaring these drinks as Illicit discriminates Against the Akamba people and violates their right to practice their culture thus putting it at the brink of extinction.
The Businessman wants the government to Declare that ‘Mawa’ and ‘Kaluvu’ are not illicit brews and the Akamba people are at liberty to prepare and consume them as part of their culture and tradition without Interference.
Article 11 of the Constitution recognizes culture as the foundation of the nation and as the Cumulative civilization of the Kenyan people and nation and obligates the State to promote All forms of national and cultural expression through literature, the arts, traditional Celebrations, science, communication, information, mass media, publications, libraries, and Other cultural heritage.
The Kiambu law courts in February this year declared Muratina legal, which Muli says has no difference with Kaluvu.
