Last week, a close elderly family member died after a long battle with cancer. Burial was scheduled in Kabeza sector behind Kabarore town of Gatsibo district.
During the three days at the vigil before burial, mourners chatted around the vigil fire. The nights would get extremely cold prompting some mourners to seek boosters. Other mourners sat clutched bending so close to the fire trying to get as much warmth.
However, the energy of youthful mourners would magically turn up despite the unforgiving chilly cold.
To keep up with the slow pacing night time, it would be wiser to join the youths mostly grouped outside the tent. From there one could see each of them suckling on something tightly gripped in their fist.
“Have you tested this? It’s a good helper in such situations,” a youthful mourner extended his hand to me holding a Sachet.
Priced between Frw250-500, these sachet alcohol products with different brand names (zebra, Chief,champion,kitoko, Suzie, Chairman..) are available through a complex network of smugglers and distributors.
They have coined various names for the products and phrases on whether it’s available, in transit or any suspicions.
The consumers seem to have mastered the art of protective access.
Once the smugglers have crossed the porous borders especially via Akagera river, they signal to an entire network of distributors, activated from Nyagatare district up to Gatsibo district.
Smugglers Outpace Gatsibo District Authorities
Sachet Alcohol products nearly available in every sector of Gatsibo district, Taarifa investigative Desk had a conversation with Marcelline Mukamana Deputy Mayor in charge of Social Affairs.
Mukamana admitted that district security and local administration authorities were aware of the surge in smuggled alcoholic products including locally brewed illicit alcohol.
“We are currently in a sensitization campaign telling residents to refrain from consuming smuggled illicit alcohol especially Sachet Alcohol products and potent gin (Kanyanga) from Uganda,” Marcelline told our investigative reporter on Saturday.
She added, “there are also locally concocted alcoholic drinks in villages. Security and local authorities are constantly pursuing those involved and disposing of the seized unauthorized products.”
Sachet Alcohol Banned in Uganda But Produced and Sold
Taarifa investigative Desk has established that alcoholic products packaged in sachets are banned in Uganda and are no longer available on market despite some sources admitting they are clandestinely produced and sold locally.
However, the same brands are also packaged in plastic or glass bottles as counter to any accusations of sachets presence.
Contacted over exports of Sachet Alcohol products, a source within Uganda’s Trade Ministry told Taarifa on condition of anonymity, “Illicit production, otherwise all these were banned. Does it bear a manufacturing date?”, he queried.
A closer look at the sachet alcoholic products on Rwandan market indicates there are no inscriptions of manufacture dates but there a logo of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). “That UNBS logo is the easiest to forge,” he said.
The Senior Superintendent of Police Hamdun Twizerimana, RNP Spokesperson, Eastern Province acknowledges a surge in presence of illegal Sachet and potent gin smuggled from Uganda.
“Smuggling doesn’t mean that the borders are not well secured. Smugglers are constantly changing their methods,” He said.
“They use late night hours to smuggle, transport on motorcycles, others wear or stitch smuggled products on their bodies. These alcohols are dangerous to health, cause accidents disputes in families,” he added.
According to SSP Hamdun Twizerimana,the smuggled alcoholic sachet products are not present in border districts only, some of these sachets are present in districts of Rwamagana, Kayonza and even the capital Kigali.
