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The government plans to increase Kenya’s legal drinking age from 18 to 21 as part of a broad strategy to tackle what officials describe as a growing national crisis of alcohol and drug abuse.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the move is among reforms recommended to President William Ruto, which also include strengthening enforcement and tightening regulations across the alcohol industry.
“In the measures proposed to the president, the first priority was to strengthen the anti-narcotics unit,” Murkomen said, noting that the unit is currently understaffed and under-resourced.
He added that the unit has only 192 officers and lacks sufficient vehicles, offices, and modern equipment for testing and surveillance.
According to Murkomen, the second key aspect of the reforms involves revising the legal framework for alcohol and drug control.
“This includes raising the minimum legal drinking age from 18 to 21 years and banning the online sale of alcohol,” he explained.
Other measures under consideration include restricting alcohol advertising and limiting the sale of alcohol near schools.
The proposals come as the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) reports alarming figures on substance use across the country.
Murkomen said NACADA research shows that 4.9 million Kenyans are addicted to at least one substance, with alcohol being the most widely abused.
“Kenya is facing a serious alcohol and drug addiction crisis, as confirmed by NACADA’s research,” he said, noting that about 1.3 million people are fully addicted to alcohol and roughly 300,000 to cannabis.
Overall, around 3.3 million people are affected by alcohol abuse, while nearly two million others misuse other drugs.
The Interior CS emphasized that addressing the crisis requires more than government action alone and calls for a collective societal response.
He noted that addiction affects families, communities, and institutions, impacting both youth and adults.
NACADA’s findings also indicate that substance use is common among university students, with one in every eight students having consumed alcohol or drugs.
In his New Year’s address, President William Ruto unveiled a national strategy to confront alcohol and drug abuse, describing it as a major threat to Kenya’s health, security, and economic development. He pledged decisive government action starting in 2026.
“Alcohol and drug abuse are now a clear and present danger to Kenya’s health, security, and economic future,” Ruto said, stressing that the issue can no longer be treated as a minor social problem.
