More than 95 per cent of young people admitted to rehabilitation centres in Rwanda are battling addiction to illicit alcohol and drugs, Minister of Local Government Dominique Habimana has said. He said this underscoring the growing toll of alcohol and substance abuse on the country's youth at a time the government has embarked on a campaign to tackle illegal production and consumption of alcoholic beverages. This comes as the Ministry of Health has reported dozens of deaths linked to these drinks in the first half of 2026. ALSO READ: Rwanda FDA closes eight distilleries, orders products recall Appearing on RBA on Sunday, August 2, Habimana said the figures demonstrate why the fight against illicit alcohol has become a national priority, calling on communities to support ongoing government efforts to eliminate its production and consumption. His remarks hours after the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) closed eight distilleries found to be producing unsafe alcoholic beverages and revoked all import licences for neutral spirit (ethanol), a highly concentrated form of alcohol used in liquor production. More than 95 per cent of young people admitted to rehabilitation centres are users of illicit alcohol; this is a serious concern, Habimana said. The minister visited Iwawa Rehabilitation Centre in Western Province, where more than 4,000 people are under rehab. He noted that alcoholism fuels domestic violence, increases school dropouts and undermines the country's socio-economic development. He said tackling illicit alcohol production and consumption requires collective action involving parents, schools, religious institutions, local leaders, the private sector and the general public. This is a joint fight. The public should avoid consuming illicit drinks, report illegal production sites and alert authorities whenever recalled products are still being sold on the market. We need to build a society free from drug addiction, he said. Habimana also clarified that the government had not prohibited the production of traditional banana- or sorghum-based beverages, saying communities remain free to produce them provided they comply with existing regulations and work with local authorities. ALSO READ: Why homemade beverages now require village approval Minister of Health Dr Sabin Nsanzimana said the recent measures were prompted by a sharp rise in illnesses and deaths linked to illicit alcohol. We look at this as an epidemic. The longer the delay, the more dangerous it becomes. It is an epidemic we have to fight today; otherwise, we will face even greater consequences tomorrow, he said. According to the minister, health facilities have this year treated more than 500 people who developed complications after consuming illicit alcohol. The cases include about 50 deaths and more than 100 people who lost their eyesight after consuming contaminated alcoholic beverages. In Bugesera alone, 18 people died on the same day after consuming illicit alcohol, Nsanzimana said, adding that many victims also suffered severe respiratory complications, among other long-term health effects. He said some manufacturers had invested in modern-looking factories while secretly producing unsafe alcoholic beverages that had never undergone laboratory testing. Some appear to have quality equipment and professional facilities, but behind that they manufacture dangerous products without laboratory testing, Nsanzimana said. He urged consumers to follow Rwanda FDA's recall notice and avoid products identified by the regulator. These products should not remain on the market. We encourage the public to carefully read Rwanda FDA's announcement and avoid consuming the recalled products. Widespread violations According to Peter Karake, the Director General for Crime Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB), investigations uncovered widespread violations among some manufacturers. Some factories hide behind industrial development, Karake said. They obtain licences to operate legally but end up producing illicit alcoholic beverages. Others manufacture products they were never licensed to produce, while some operate without the required licences. Karake said investigators also established that some manufacturers were using industrial ethanol and other unauthorised substances that pose serious health risks. Even small quantities can slowly kill a person, he said. He added that inspections revealed poor hygiene standards, inadequate storage facilities, the use of inappropriate plastic containers during production and the absence of qualified production and quality managers in some factories. Karake said illicit alcohol has become both a public health and security concern, contributing to domestic violence, assaults and traffic incidents. Officials said inspections and enforcement operations will continue nationwide as authorities seek to eliminate illicit alcohol from the market and prevent further loss of life.
