The Kenyan government is planning to increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 as part of a sweeping strategy to curb the country’s growing alcohol and drug abuse problem.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen revealed that the move is part of broader reforms recommended to President William Ruto, including strengthening the under-resourced Anti-Narcotics Unit and tightening regulations across the alcohol industry.
“The unit currently has only 192 officers and lacks sufficient vehicles, offices, and modern testing equipment,” Murkomen noted.
The proposed legal reforms include raising the minimum drinking age, banning online alcohol sales, restricting alcohol advertisements, and limiting the sale of alcoholic beverages near schools.
Alarmingly, research by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) shows that 4.9 million Kenyans are struggling with substance use. Of these, 1.3 million are fully addicted to alcohol, 300,000 to cannabis, and millions more are abusing other drugs.
Murkomen emphasized that addiction is a societal challenge affecting young people, adults, families, and communities alike. NACADA’s findings indicate that one in eight university students has used alcohol or drugs, highlighting the severity of the issue among the youth.
During his New Year’s address, President Ruto described the crisis as a “clear and present danger” to Kenya’s health, security, and economic future, pledging decisive action to confront the epidemic starting in 2026.
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