Effort calls for sobriety
The plan to strictly control the sale and consumption of alcohol may be well-intended, but it raises pertinent questions. The problem from past experience is that extortion often takes root.
What is even more crucial is that the alcohol industry is a major source of revenue and taxes and creates jobs. A Bill that has been tabled in Parliament proposes tough measures on the manufacture, sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks.
The government wants to regulate one of the most vibrant, but also problematic areas. The drinking age will be raised from 18 to 21 should Parliament pass the new Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs Control Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026. It will amend the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act (Cap 121) and impose strict conditions for manufacturers, sellers and consumers.
The proposals include banning the sale of alcohol 300 metres from learning institutions and online advertising. Some are simply ridiculous, such as the ban on the transportation of alcohol between 6am and 6pm.
Also of concern is imposing a Sh2 levy on every litre, and outlawing the consumption of alcoholic drinks on public beaches, in cinema halls, at petrol stations, game parks and sports facilities, and the sale of alcohol in supermarkets.
The Alcoholic Beverages Association of Kenya has called for the Bill’s withdrawal, warning that it poses a major threat to the economy. It says raising the legal drinking age will cause a Sh3.3 billion revenue loss.
High taxes or bans rarely eliminate demand but shift consumption to deadly illicit alcohol, denying the government tax revenue. Some 632,000 youth aged 15 to 24 and 1.5 million aged 25 to 35 are grappling with substance abuse, especially alcohol.
Decreased sales mean the government stands to lose Sh1.8 billion in tax revenue. Some 8,960 formal jobs are threatened, and this could force the closure of 1,792 licensed retail outlets.
Though alcohol control is crucial for public health and safety, the problem is the implementation and the risk of extortion by rogue police.
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