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The government has unveiled a radical new national policy aimed at combating the escalating crisis of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse, proposing a raft of sweeping changes that could fundamentally reshape the sale, marketing, and consumption of alcoholic beverages across the country.
The "National Policy for the Prevention, Management & Control of Alcohol, Drugs & Substance Abuse," dated July 2025 and released by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, outlines a comprehensive strategy to tackle what it describes as a "major health, social, economic and political challenge."
The policy, which now serves as a government blueprint, calls for a complete ban on the sale of alcohol in supermarkets, online, and through home delivery and courier services.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen during the unveiling of the National Drug Policy
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It also proposes raising the minimum legal age for handling, purchasing, and consuming alcohol to 21 years.
These proposals are part of a multi-pronged approach to reduce the accessibility and appeal of substances, particularly to young people.
According to a 2022 national survey by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) cited in the policy, the situation is dire.
The report indicates that 1 in every 6 Kenyans (4.7 million people) aged 15-65 uses at least one substance, with children initiating tobacco use as young as six years old and alcohol at seven.
"The alarming rise in substance potency and variety, coupled with surging illicit drug trafficking, demands urgent, decisive action," states Interior Cabinet Secretary Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen in the policy's foreword.
Unprecedented Curbs on Alcohol Access and Availability
The key proposals include:
Prohibited Points of Sale: A total ban on the sale of alcohol through vending machines, hawking, online platforms, home deliveries, supermarkets, and in residential premises. The ban also extends to public spaces such as beaches, parks, petrol stations, and bus stops.
Exclusion Zones: The licensing of any alcohol outlet, retail or wholesale, within 300 metres of any nursery, primary, secondary, or higher learning institution will be prohibited.
Regulated Packaging and Pricing: The policy will regulate the size, packaging, and labelling of all alcoholic drinks, mandating health warnings and pictorials. It also prescribes a minimum package size of 250ml and bans all price promotions, discount sales, and "all you can drink" flat rates.
Restricted Hours and Entry: The operating hours for all alcohol retail outlets will be strictly regulated to reduce availability. Furthermore, no person under the age of 21 will be allowed to enter any establishment selling alcohol.
Drink-Driving Countermeasures: The policy calls for the enforcement of a strict blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers, sobriety checkpoints, random breath-testing, and the suspension of licenses for offenders.
Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen during the unveiling of the National Drug Policy
Sweeping Reforms for Advertising and Promotion
The policy also outlines a near-total blackout on the promotion of alcohol, designed to shield the public, especially children and youth, from inducements to drink.
The proposed measures include:
Comprehensive Advertising Ban: All alcohol advertising, promotion, and marketing will be banned on audio-visual platforms (including broadcasts originating outside Kenya) between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Online advertising and promotion will be banned entirely.
End of Celebrity Endorsements: The use of entertainment personalities, sports figures, media personalities, models, and social media influencers to endorse or advertise alcoholic drinks will be prohibited. Any person depicted in an alcohol advertisement must be over the age of 25.
No Sports Sponsorship: Alcohol manufacturers will be banned from sponsoring or branding sports leagues, tournaments, or national teams. They will also be prohibited from naming a sports team after an alcoholic product.
Outdoor Advertising Restrictions: Outdoor advertising of alcohol will be banned on all government-owned property, in residential areas, and within a 300-metre radius of educational institutions.
Content Regulation: Advertisements will be stripped of any messaging that glorifies alcohol consumption as a lifestyle, emphasises its strength as a positive quality, or negatively portrays abstinence.
An AI-generated image of alcohol bottles on a shelf
Legal Reforms and a "Polluter Pays" Principle
The policy extends its reach into the legal and enforcement sectors.
It proposes that public officers in the enforcement and compliance chain, such as police and licensing officials, be barred from owning or operating outlets that sell alcohol, either directly or via proxy.
In a move to fund recovery programs, the document introduces a "polluter pays" principle.
It calls for the establishment of a levy on alcohol manufacturers and importers, with the revenue directed to a fund supporting treatment, rehabilitation, and aftercare for individuals with substance use disorders.
While the document is a comprehensive statement of intent, many of its most significant proposals will require legislative action to become enforceable.
The policy document itself identifies Parliament as a key "Responsible Institution" for enacting the necessary legal changes.
It serves as a strategic guide for the government to draft and champion new bills to address the substance abuse menace.
The ultimate goal, as stated in the policy, is to "safeguard society from the harmful effects of alcohol, drugs and substance use" and build a "healthier, more prosperous nation for generations to come."