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Story and Pix by David Ogot snr. © June 2003
Musical chairs is an existing game involving a given number of chairs but always one less
than the number of contestants who cavort round them until the music stops forcing them to
scramble for a seat.
The person who is left standing leaves taking one chair with them until only one place and
two contestants are left. The winner is then the person seated when the music stops for the
final time.
In the competitions I have run during promotions and family fun days, I have noticed that
inspite of all the hilarious incidents (a chair breaking, a lady pluncking herself onto a
gentleman’s lap) the fact that it is so good natured that you actually wish everybody could get a
seat, the audience still want to see who will get the last chair. Thus musical chairs contrary
to the saying, is actually a case of the last man (woman) sitting.
Conversely this is the situation currently prevailing in the heated and emotional debate on
alcohol consumption vis a vis rugby in Kenya . Except it is a case of 'reverse musical
chairs', where there is only one chair remaining and several contestants who, however, do not
want to sit. Thus, every time the music stops, they all contrary to the rules of the game try
and coerce someone else into the chair.
Confused? I don't blame you. So let’s try and solve the puzzle by naming the game, chair
and the contestants. Let's call this version of the game 'who-is-responsible-for-my-child-drinking- alcohol?'
Next we name the chair. Let's call it responsibility. Finally the contestants. Firstly parents,
then the Kenya Rugby Football Union, KBL, the vendor, the government and lastly the children?
No! Not the children. They are ineligible for this competition for precisely that reason.
They are children!
As for the winner of the game, this will be the player who gets the seat of ‘responsibility’
when the music stops. That participant will be the winner of the 'who-is-responsible-for-my-child-drinking-alcohol' competition.
Now for some prizes? The prize is extremely grand and yes it is only one. It is your child’s
life! Isn't that a grand prize? Now let the music begin!
Incidentally, this is not the first time the press is highlighting this issue. Why then the
furore this time over drinking of alcohol by the youth at rugby matches or tournaments?
The answer is that this time it was captured on film. In all its disgusting, smutty, scary,
full inglorious colour. There was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide! Denial had finally ceased
to be an option.
How wrong we were. Denial was still the name of the game. Kenyans are very good at denial
especially when it comes to matters concerning kanywaji (booze) and who can blame
them? For they have been conditioned by the manufacturers of these beverages until they too
become converts and firm believers, that without consuming them their lives would be unglamorous, dull,
anti-social, un-cool, non-sexy, in short - they would look like failures.
All kinds of reasons were given as letters were dashed off to the press from sources as
diverse as was their reasoning. But all were united in their conclusion that alcohol was not
the cause of these problems.
As usual, it was the messenger (in this case the media) who bore the brunt
of their wrath.
Writing in The People Daily, ('Report objectively our rugby.' Tue 20.05.03) Japeth Mbaya of
Mwamba RFC stated that "It is common knowledge that whatever happens at rugby tournaments
is nothing specific to rugby only but sure happens much more on the music concerts/extravaganza
launches etc. Why specifically would the media then use rugby tournaments to highlight these
vices and in editing create the impression that the same are as a result of rugby the game?
Last year, a similar article was published in a local daily about the Impala sponsored
floodlit tournament which blew out of proportion the vices that happen or are presumed to happen
with the effect (in my opinion) of the slack in sponsorship this year."
Also lambasting the media in the same paper on the same page was Charles Otieno (‘Check
concerts’ TPD Tuesday 20.05.03) who signed off as an 'arsenal and Rugby Fan in general'. He
said in his very short letter: "It seems that there is a warped image of rugby as a sport
(or activities surrounding it) being propagated by some sections and the media. It is quite
unfortunate since the selectively applied in the reporting borders on the malicious. It is
indisputable that some of the images are quite alarming and disgraceful (my emphasis).
However, this should not be used to put the whole sport and its followers into disrepute and
if anything, the media should provide a fair and a balanced coverage or otherwise direct their
energies into unearthing other scandals"
Though these two writers agreed there was a problem, both argued that it was worse elsewhere.
In other words it happens everywhere so why the big brouhaha? Shine your spotlight elsewhere
and leave us to wallow in our drunkenness in peace!
Enter the next player: Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL). In a joint statement with KRFU in
'Face the Facts' column ('KBL and KRFU on irresponsible drinking of sports tournament', EAS
Thursday 22.06.03). Right of Reply: the brewers sought to reassure the Kenyan public thus:
"Kenya Breweries is a responsible citizen and it has company guidelines in place on the
issue of responsible drinking. It is our strict company policy never to target our marketing
activities at people under the age of 18".
Further, "Kenya Breweries does initiate projects calculated to promote the responsible
consumption of alcohol in society.’
What are these projects that promote responsible drinking? The last KBL project I know of
was the just ended 'mavuno' competition.
This 'the-more-you-drink-the-more-chances-of-winning-competition,' which ended in a fiasco,
was definitely not my idea of promoting responsible alcohol consumption.
'Responsible drinking' is also another of the high-sounding terms bandied about by brewers
which sounds very reasonable but actually says nothing. For if the truth were to be told
recommended alcohol consumption (which is measured in units) per day would work out
(in Tuskers since this is the main brand involved in rugby sponsorship) to two tusker beers
for men and one for the ladies. Do Kenyans follow this level of consumption?
Shouting to be heard came the Kenya Rugby Football Union (KRFU) in their own statement five
days later also in the 'Face the Facts' column (‘Rugby body says: we are not vendors of alcohol
'EAS Tuesday 27.06.03').
The heading of the long letter said it all as the KRFU twisted this way and that trying to
show it was not their fault. The missive finally concluded haughtily by flinging at the
reader: "underage drinking and immorality are problems that all of us Kenyans have to address.
Attempting to cocoon these issues by condemning a specific sport and a sponsor will not make
them go away. This is the KRFU’s right of reply."
Okay one would argue! So, where is the government? The Liquor Licensing Act Cap.
(Chapter) 121 of the laws of Kenya amongst other conditions spells out several pertinent
points.
Namely in Part V Section 32(4) "every licensee who permits any drunkeness
or any violent, quarrelsome or riotous conduct to take place on the premises to which the
licence relates shall be guilty of an offence." That is the governments right of reply to the
KRFU and others of like-mindedness.
Now for our final contestant the parents. Well, no help seems forthcoming from that quarter
(as usual.) No sound. Not a peep from outraged parents. Who or what are they waiting for?
Neither KBL, KRFU or the government gave birth to these children. You did, and they are your
responsibility.
Herein lies the real issue we should be looking at. Beer is a mood-altering drug. (say it
ten times) and like other mood altering drugs (Miraa, Cannabis sativa, heroin, cocaine, etc)
has the capability of ruining health, productivity and the family fabric of an individual.
Just like these other drugs, beer (and other alcoholic beverages) causes great pain to
hundreds of thousands of Kenyans who do not use it (or use it sparingly) but are affected by
the heavy drinkers and the alcoholics.
These two groups of drinkers who are a minority of all those who drink, however in a tragic
paradox drink the most beer (and other alcoholic beverages) sold.
But most Kenyans do not know that alcohol is a drug, let alone thinking beer is a drug. But
it is I can assure you much as the manufacturers would want you to believe otherwise.
Had Kenyans known what alcohol is capable of we would not be surrounded by the tolerance to
it’s use we see all around us. The father who was captured by the KTN 'yaliyomo mchezoni' crew,
giving the little kid on his shoulder a sip from his can of tusker epitomized the depths of this
dangerous ignorance. Probably he even believed the brands advertising hype "makes us equal
has no equal" thus feeling compelled to make the child "equal" to him. As was
evident from the way his charge took a swig and smacked his lips this was not the first time
this babe in arms had tasted alcohol.
Knowing what we know about alcohol it shows the levels of tolerance to which this country
has sank concerning its use when a young child like that can be fed alcohol in front of T.V.
cameras and this man still walks away scot free without being charged with child abuse. For
what that man was doing was indeed abusing his charge. At what point are we going to feel the
need to act?
Let us repeat again beer is a drug like all other alcoholic beverages. Let
us as parents learn about this drug. Beware and be aware! What you know cant hurt you! Only
then can we teach our children about it and its inherent dangers.
For beer and other alcoholic beverages are not like the perennial floods that hit Kenya but
a broiling, pounding flood that rages through the country constantly. It is a fact of life. The only
sane option left for us is to teach our children to swim. Teach then about alcohol’s dangerous
eddies and undercurrents so that should they then still decide to jump in they would know
enough to stay near the banks and should they be swept away - well at least they would be
strong swimmers.
Parents have to realise they have the power to kick alcohol out of sports. There are plenty
of sponsors out there. After all who is a sponsor if not just a company owned by parents? Our new slogan should be modified thus "Kenya my country - Her children - my children.
Milele!". This after all is the African way. The only way parents can help their children
as far as alcohol is concerned is to 'beware and be aware.'
Of course we have the greatest incentive to do these things; the health productivity and the
very life of our children - that is the prize.
P.S. The music has stopped! Is anybody listening?
A condensed version of this article entitled 'Of rugby,
musical chairs and alcoholism menace in Kenya' was published in a new weekly column
'YOU ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS with David Ogot in
'The People On Sunday' a sister publication of 'The People
Daily' on Sunday June 29th 2003
David Ogot is a freelance
journalist/producer who has personal experience with alcoholism. He can be reached at
goinghomedotcom@yahoo.com or alternatively at info@goinghomedotcom.org
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