I have this same bug, Journal says Ruanga refused; the bartender gives me the drinks and there's one gray option that needs 6 constitution (I don't know what it does) and a "Sure thing" one that doesn't switch anything. When you go upstairs there's only a single option to give drinks to the captain, which kills Ruanga and Kowha, again with no option to do anything different. The order I did things, if it helps: I got the poison and book right after getting the quest, confronted Ngunu about it, showed to the policeman in town (both encounters apparently didn't matter, they just ignored the threat), talked to Ruanga first (she said she wouldnt go but I managed to change her mind later), then Tauwe and lastly Kowha, and came back to the bar. I'm gonna finish this quest now and hope it's fixed for future playthroughs.