Kigezi Christians warned against consuming 'Enturire'

KABALE-Christians in the Diocese of Kigezi have been warned against consuming a locally fermented drink from sorghum popularly known as "Enturire."

Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, the director of Education Standards in the ministry of education while preaching to hundreds of Christians who had turned up for the 2020 Brethren Conference at the Rugarama Convention grounds in Kabale municipality said that some Christians take this drink for granted and they consume it assuming that it is not evil.

"This enturire is even worse than the beers people take out there. We cannot stand to see the Church and families breaking down due to drunkenness caused by "enturire." We must stand together and condemn this practice for a strong church to stand.

Turyagyenda who quoted the history of the East African Revival Movement in Kigezi in the mid-90s said  it had helped in fighting practices of alcoholism but they are currently resuming in the name of drinking "enturire."

Her idea falls in the same line of thinking of the Bishop of the Diocese of Kigezi, Eng. George Bagamuhunda who feels that a joint war against this drink should be enforced by all believers who want to fight alcoholism in the diocese.

Priests leaving the Rugarama convention grounds on Sunday

In May 2016, Bishop Bagamuhunda had banned the clergy from taking this drink which is popular at church functions such as parties, weddings and birthdays since the Anglican clergy do not consume any alcoholic brands. The ban failed to work since the drink remains popular even now.

Bagamuhunda said that Christians need to live to their biblical expectations by not taking anything that can make them drunk and since enturire has such effects, it should be condemned forever.

"We have for long struggled to regulate the consumption of this drink in vain but we believe that the Lord will help us in the war against it," said Bagamuhunda.

However, Christians continue to express mixed feelings towards this drink.

Ivan Tusiime, a renowned youth preacher in the diocese said that consuming enturire is not bad if it is well managed.

"I have been taking enturire for long and I have not seen any problem with it.  I wish our people learn how to control themselves and we see less of such cases of drunkenness," said Tusiime.

Enturire is made from Sorghum, which is soaked for at least 24 hours. It is thereafter mixed with ash and kept for about three days before it is dried to become black sweet sorghum. Once the Sorghum is dry, it is grinded to make flour that is used for making ordinary porridge known as (Bushera).  

The Bushera is left to ferment for three days before it is mixed with honey. After the three days the Bushera is mixed with unfiltered honey (honey with the wax) and kept for between 3-5days days before it is ready for consumption. Enturire doesn't require any alcohol as the more days it spends, the more potent it becomes.