Man dies during a drinking competition in Nandi
By Paulette Mboga, November 10, 2025A man has died in Nandi County during a drinking competition among friends; police and relatives have confirmed.
The incident occurred after the group moved from a celebration to a bar, where they engaged in a contest to see who could finish their drinks first.
Gifton Tuma, brother to the deceased, Duncan Kipkemboi, described how the challenge was set up in an interview on Monday, November 10, 2025.
“Kuna kijana moja alikua kando yetu akasema sisi tunajitolea tuchange pesa za pombe. Lakini ikakua ni challenge kama wewe hutamaliza, utalipia pesa, lakini ukimaliza, hii mchango ya hiyo pesa itapewa mwenye atamaliza yote. Tukaanza kukunywa pombe,” he said.
“Tulikua tunakunywa tukikunywa maji. Duncan akachukua yake akakunywa kighafla, wote tukakunywa flash. Ndio mtu yoyote asilipie. Kwa ya hii challenge, juu tumechanga wote, mtu hangemaliza pombe, angelipia bill yote ya pombe.”
According to the family, the challenge involved a system where the person who finished all the drinks would have the money pooled for the drinks, but anyone who failed to finish would pay the total bill. Duncan took his turn and consumed his drink very quickly, after which the situation quickly turned tragic.
Police confirm heavy drinking and blackout
Jeremiah Leariwala, OCPD, Nandi East, said the group had already been drinking at a local celebration before moving to a wines and spirits bar.
“Wale vijana walikua wameenda kwa sherehe mahali wakakunywa busaa. Kutoka kwa sherehe walienda katika Wines and Spirits kama tayari walikua walevi. Walipofika pale, walianza challenge, ama competition fulani ya kushindana kukunywa pombe,”
“Walikua wanashindana kukunywa pombe kiasi ya kwamba wewe ukimaliza ile pombe umepewa, unalipwa bill, ukishindwa, unalip bill. Walikunywa pombe mingi sana. Walikunywa chupa kama nane waka black out. There is a likelihood huyu aliwekewa pressure. Ile pombe yote ilikua kwa ile wines and spirits tumezichukua tuka zi submit already ifanyiwe analysis,” he said.
The police confirmed that the deceased consumed multiple bottles during the contest and later lost consciousness. Authorities have submitted the remaining alcohol for analysis as they continue investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death. The incident has raised concerns about risky drinking competitions among youths in the area.