The government has issued a clarification on the perceived ban on the sale of alcohol in supermarkets, restaurants, online platforms, and home deliveries, noting that these are all proposals and not actual regulations.
While speaking exclusively to Kenyans.co.ke on Wednesday, July 30, a representative of the Ministry of Interior assured Kenyans that the proposals outlined in the National Policy for the Prevention, Management and Control of Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Abuse 2025 would be subject to public discourse and debate.
The proposals include prohibitions on the sale of alcohol in supermarkets, within residential premises, restaurants, and basic education, tertiary, and higher learning institutions. It had also prohibited the online sale of alcohol, as well as home deliveries of alcohol.
The policy also had provisions forbidding the sale and consumption of alcohol at public beaches, public parks, amusement parks, petrol stations, dining areas in members’ clubs, and hotels.
Another proposal was the raising of the legal drinking age from the current 18 to 21 years, seemingly in a move to control the consumption of alcohol amongst the youth.
The government states that the proposals will be open for public input via NACADA, allowing Kenyans to share their views. This process occurs before the proposals are presented in Parliament, with the aim of amending the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act of 2010, which governs the sale, packaging, and consumption of alcohol in Kenya.
According to the official, once Parliament receives the proposals, the matter will be debated and will still be subjected to further public participation from Kenyans.
Since they are just proposals, the government has not brought up the necessary legal frameworks to address the potential impacts of the proposals. Even so, the official maintained that consultations between the relevant stakeholders would address issues arising from the proposals.
The clarification came amidst backlash from a section of Kenyans who expressed their dissatisfaction with the proposals. This was particularly due to the lack of proper information around the matter, as most interpreted the proposals as regulations that were set to be implemented immediately.
The frustrated citizens lamented the lack of public participation in the ‘rules’ and the lack of consideration for what the regulations would bring to businesses economically. If the proposals were to fly, alcohol would only be sold strictly in bars and liquor stores, and this became a huge bone of contention to the affected Kenyans.
All the same, the Interior official revealed that the proposals, forwarded by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), were occasioned by statistics indicating a high consumption of alcohol in the country.
Further, the official noted the proposals were aimed at curbing the influx of counterfeit alcohol in the country. According to the representative, the fake alcohol came from border counties where smuggling was prevalent.
