Local authorities of Budi County in Eastern Equatoria State over the weekend disposed of about eight hundred liters of a potent gin which was imported from Uganda.
The potent gin locally known as ‘Guu’ was disposed of by being poured to the ground after authorities intercepted a vehicle carrying about fifty jerrycans of it from Uganda. This came days after the state council of ministers resolved to ban the importation, selling, and consumption of certain types of alcohol in Eastern Equatoria.
The Budi County Commissioner, Akilleo Mboya Peter, said the exercise was done to safeguard the lives of the citizens and ensure the social and economic growth of the county.
“It is true that the Budi County leadership and community rose to crack down on this illicit alcohol that is imported from Uganda. Of course, considering the negative consequences of this consumption in the lives and economic development of the lives of the citizens, it has impacted negatively,” Commissioner Mboya explained. “We intercepted a vehicle bringing this alcohol and arrested this vehicle with several Jerrycans of this illicit imported alcohol from Uganda. Yes, we have poured what we arrested. We poured everything.”
He also revealed that a local order was issued to regulate the importation and transportation of large quantities of sugar in large quantities to prevent the residents from brewing potent gins and other alcoholic spirits.
“We also issued a local order to regulate the importation of sugar where we don’t allow excessive importation of sugar into the county. We have to regulate the number that is entering the county by tightening the rules that if somebody wants to bring sugar, at least one or two bags, it has to be approved by the county authority, especially the business people that are selling it for tea purposes,” Commissioner Mboya said.
He said the banning of alcohol and regulation of sugar entry into the county will curb insecurity, ensure the citizens are healthy, and will embark on development.
The Budi County youth leader, Lopeyok Augustino, commended the commissioner for the order and said the level of criminality will reduce among the young people.
“The Commissioner has done a very good job. The day before yesterday (Saturday), we poured around eight hundred liters of illicit drinks called Guu from Uganda and this is one of the drinks that makes people cause a lot of criminality,” Lopeyok said. “They kill themselves without even knowing whether somebody has killed someone. I think it is a very good move by the county authority and I am sure the level of criminality will also be reduced because most of the time people are intoxicated and start doing wrong things because they don’t know what they are doing.”
He advised the youth to embrace agriculture because there are not enough jobs for everyone.
For her part, the Budi County Women Chairperson, Anyu Flora, said many people have died as a result of alcohol consumption and welcomed the ban on alcoholic spirits imported from Uganda.
“The issue of pouring down Guu is a very good thing because it has caused us a lot of problems in this county. Many people have died, people shoot themselves, women burn children. There are a lot of problems in the community and it leads to divorce for some people,” Anyu said. “So the community is very happy for what the commissioner has done. We women are the happiest people. These harmful drinks should be banned because it is spoiling our children. Women are crying because of this alcohol. Maybe Siko (local gin) should also be banned because it comes second after Guu.”