Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo has strongly opposed new proposals by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) aimed at tightening alcohol regulations in Kenya, arguing that they risk worsening economic challenges and ignoring the real public health crisis.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV’s Daybreak program on Thursday, Maanzo said the government is focusing on the wrong problem by targeting marketing and access to legal alcohol instead of cracking down on the rampant production and consumption of illicit, toxic brews.
“The most important thing, the biggest problem in Kenya is poisonous alcohol,” Maanzo stated. “We have seen alcohol that makes people lose their eyes. That’s what the government should first be dealing with, eliminating all the manufacturing of poisonous alcohol.”
The Senator emphasized that improving the quality and safety of alcoholic beverages should take precedence over proposed bans, noting that alcohol is a globally consumed and regulated commodity. “Alcohol is taken all over the world and is very much controlled, and of more importance is societal self-control,” he said.
Maanzo raised concern over NACADA’s wide-ranging proposals, including banning online alcohol sales, limiting alcohol discount promotions, and prohibiting the use of celebrities and social media influencers in advertising. He criticized the lack of consultation with industry players and the public.
“You cannot make this sort of thing without consulting the industry,” Maanzo argued. “Do sufficient public participation, and Kenyans will come up with a way of ensuring that the businessman is safe, the quality of alcohol is good, and the age limits are applied accordingly.”
He warned that the proposed measures could lead to job losses across the alcohol value chain, potentially affecting over 1.3 million people, especially the youth. Referencing recent anti-government protests, he cautioned that such economic impacts could fuel further unrest.
“If 1.3 million people lose their jobs, I think the demonstrations will be more on the streets,” he warned. “You are keeping as many young people as possible exposed.”
Maanzo called for a balanced approach that addresses both public health and economic sustainability. “Make laws that make sure the society is safe, but not to destroy businesses, yet you want to collect taxes and build a nation,” he added.
NACADA’s proposals, released Wednesday, are part of a new national policy framework to combat rising alcohol and drug abuse. In addition to advertising and sales restrictions, the authority wants the legal drinking age raised from 18 to 21 and consumption banned in public spaces, including restaurants, hotels, parks, and public transport.
The authority has stated it will now initiate a stakeholder engagement process involving government, civil society, industry, and the public before submitting the proposals for legislative consideration. The proposals have sparked widespread debate, with proponents highlighting increasing alcohol-related harm and critics warning of economic fallout.
Written By Rodney Mbua
