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Mbote Njogu reveals how to spot fake muratina as concerns over counterfeit alcohol grow
26th August, 2026 01:41 PM
Popular Kikuyu content creator Mbote Njogu has shared what he claims are some of the signs that could help people identify counterfeit muratina, amid continued concerns over the circulation of fake alcoholic drinks.
Speaking about the traditional alcoholic beverage in an interview with a local radio station on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Mbote said counterfeit muratina had also found its way into the market, warning consumers to pay attention to how they feel immediately after taking the drink.
Mbote claimed that one of the signs of counterfeit muratina could be a burning sensation or heartburn shortly after taking the first sip.
“And you see, even muratina now has counterfeits. And how to know is when you take the first gulp and you feel like you are getting heartburn, then know that is fake,” he said.
The content creator explained that the concern had made him prefer carrying his own muratina, which he described as an original version made in the village.
“That is why now I walk with my original muratina, the one made from the village,” Mbote said.
He further compared the effects of counterfeit alcohol with those of ordinary alcoholic drinks, saying that although alcohol generally causes intoxication, some of the drinks circulating recently appeared to produce unusual effects on consumers.
“You see, all alcohol makes people drunk, but now some lately have a weird kind of effect,” he said.
Loss of appetite
Mbote went on to describe what he considered another unusual reaction that some people may experience after consuming questionable alcohol, particularly a change in their appetite.
He claimed that some consumers may notice that they no longer feel like eating their usual foods after drinking, instead developing cravings for foods they would not ordinarily desire at certain times.
“You notice you do not even feel like eating and maybe you even desire things like githeri in the morning instead of meat,” he said.
He questioned why a person would need to take steps to settle or soothe their body before they could comfortably eat after drinking alcohol.
“And you see, if you do not desire meat after drinking, then something is amiss,” Mbote said.
“Tell me honestly, which alcohol is this that you have to first soothe the body with before eating something?” he added.
Memory loss
Mbote also linked the consumption of what he described as fake liquor to memory-related problems, saying some drinkers may find themselves unable to remember events that happened while they were drinking.
He said a person could be told by friends that they had been drinking together, only for the individual to have little or no recollection of what happened.
“And some of the things people who take fake liquor notice is memory loss. When people tell you that you were drinking with them, you seldom remember,” he said.
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Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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