Some forty (40) people have been killed in a few days by a locally made spirit known in Uganda as waragi, and as Kanyanga in Rwanda, reports say.

The brew is banned in Rwanda, and there have been protracted efforts to cub its consumption here. However, Rwandan officials say large amounts still end up in the country from Uganda. The border areas of the east and north-west are where Kanyanga is consumed and often sneaked into Kigali.

On Wednesday, Ugandan officials said they were yet to confirm 18 more deaths in Kalangala district of central Uganda – just close to the capital Kampala.

According to New Vision, tests showed that the killer spirit had been made from methanol, which is poisonous. The drink is largely made from sugar waste products but unsuspecting sellers add more quantities of other substances to make it stronger – which is what the customers enjoy.

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