RWAMAGANA- Nehemiya Uwimana, the Mayor of Rwamagana District, has said that the growing problem of illegally distilled alcohol locally known as Kanyanga can’t be tolerated.

The Mayor was reacting to the arrest of six middle-aged men caught distilling Kanyanga in Nyamugari village of Gahengeri sector, yesterday.

The arrested include Ismael Nsabimana, Jean Baptiste Hakizimana, Uwimana, Bakunzi and Innocent Nteziyaremye.

He said that there were several illicit liquor distilling areas and steps had been taken to eradicate all of them in a short span.

The Mayor said distilling spirits was inherently risky for producers as well as consumers.

"Operations will be conducted soon on the remaining areas so that they are eradicated in the next few months,” he said.

He warned of stringent action against local officials if they fail to comply with the order, and added that officials would be given rewarded if they strived hard to make Rwamagana an "illicit liquor free district”.

"We have information that illicit liquor is produced with grass root leaders’ knowledge. They must change forthwith or face the consequences”. According to the police, the suspects were nabbed after a tip-off from residents in the area.

Claude Ritinduka, a resident of Gahengeri, said that people became suspicious after seeing smoke coming from a banana plantation.

"There was smoke constantly coming from the plantation and nobody was bothered. Some people became suspicious and discovered a small factory installed…this is when we reported to authorities,” he said.

Superintendent Theos Badege, the police spokesman, said distilling Kanyanga was illegal and that the culprits will be brought to justice.

"The potential dangers as well as risks of illicit brew are known and anyone resisting the prohibition will not escape the law. The law is clear about this,” he said.

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