Online Reporter
THE Government has officially gazetted Statutory Instrument SI No. 62 of 2025 under the Harmful Liquids Act, effectively banning the production, distribution, and consumption of dangerous and unregulated alcoholic concoctions.
The banned drinks include tumbwa and musombodhiya, which have become a menace in our country.
The measure, which was announced by the Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Kazembe Kazembe, underscores the Government’s commitment to safeguarding public health and promoting community well-being.
The arrival of these illicit brews like Tumbwa and Musombodhiya have posed significant risks to public health in this country.
There are a number of problems associated with these drinks.
Most, if not all of them, are unregulated concoctions and they are often produced under unsanitary conditions, they contain harmful substances which lead to severe health complications, including poisoning, addiction, and, in extreme cases, death.
For years now, there have been calls for the Government to flex its muscles and act on these dangerous drinks which have turned some of our young men and women into zombies.
We are not saying that the problem is only concentrated among the youths.
The reality is that a sizable number of our adults are also addicted to these dangerous drinks.
The challenge is national.
The Government has now acted and ensured that it has tackled these dangerous drinks which threaten the health and safety of our people.
The Government has said this ban is a vital step toward building a safer and healthier nation and we couldn’t agree more on that.
The Statutory Instrument Provisions of S.I. No. 62 of 2025 strictly prohibits the production, distribution, and consumption of Tumbwa and Musombodhiya, with violators facing severe penalties under the law.
Law enforcement agencies have been empowered to ensure adherence to this regulation, supported by community leaders and stakeholders.
The decision to prohibit these brews follows extensive research and public consultation.
To ensure the effectiveness of the ban, law enforcement agencies will work closely with community leaders, local authorities, and NGOs. Awareness campaigns will also be launched to educate citizens about the dangers of illicit brews and the benefits of this prohibition.
As H-Metro we have reserved acres of space in this newspaper in leading the fight against these harmful drinks.
We are happy that the Government has now acted and we want to see some of the cartel leaders, who are known in our communities, facing the law and being sent to jail.
If the authorities want to send the right signal, they simply have to send one of the cartel leaders to jail.
Doing so will send a powerful message that this is a no-go area.
We also want to see the Government taking action on the fake whiskeys that are in our liquor outlets.
They are packaged in a very nice way but they are as dangerous as tumbwa.
The time has come for us, as a nation, to take a stand against these dangerous drinks.
It is incorrect to say in extreme cases the consumption of these illicit brews may lead to death. It actually fact death is guaranteed in all cases where these brews are abused. It may not occur immediately but long term, death would be inevitable unless one stops consuming the brews.