The Alcoholic Beverages Association of Kenya (ABAK) has thrown its weight behind ongoing multi-agency enforcement operations targeting substandard and illicit alcohol brands after inspections in Nyeri County found some sampled products unfit for human consumption.

In a press release dated March 26, 2026 in Nairobi, ABAK said the operation involved officers from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the County Public Health Department and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). According to ABAK, alcoholic beverages sampled from retail outlets in Gatitu town, Nyeri County failed to meet required standards and were deemed unfit for human consumption.

The statement comes against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny on illicit alcohol in the county following reported deaths of two individuals linked to suspected illicit alcohol in Nyeri County, which ABAK said prompted a crackdown and revealed “concerning levels of toxic brews being circulated within the region.”

ABAK chairperson Kui Kinyanjui said the association supported tougher action against those behind the products flagged during the inspection.

“These findings are deeply troubling and highlight the urgent need for sustained enforcement against substandard and illicit alcohol. Such products endanger consumers and undermine trust in the industry. We support firm action against those responsible,” Kinyanjui said in the release.

ABAK also sought to distance itself from the brands referenced in the enforcement operation, saying their manufacturers are not members of the association.

“ABAK unequivocally disassociates itself from the named brands, whose manufacturers are not members of the Association and do not reflect the standards upheld by compliant manufacturers,” the statement said.

In a further call for coordinated action, Kinyanjui said the industry body would continue working with government agencies to tackle counterfeit and illicit alcohol.

“As ABAK we reiterate our industry-wide commitment to working closely with all Government agencies to eradicate counterfeit and illicit alcohol from the market,” she said.

The crackdown highlights persistent regulatory and public health risks associated with illicit alcohol, an issue that has periodically disrupted Kenya’s formal alcoholic beverages market through enforcement actions, supply chain seizures and reputational concerns for compliant manufacturers and distributors. For the formal sector, sustained enforcement can reduce unfair competition from untaxed or counterfeit products, while also raising compliance expectations across retail channels.

ABAK urged the government to accelerate investigations and prosecutions arising from the Nyeri operation and ensure implicated products are removed from the market.

“ABAK urges the Government to enhance efforts to quickly move to persecute those responsible and remove the implicated products from the market,” the association said, adding that eliminating illicit and unsafe alcohol is critical to protecting consumers and safeguarding the integrity of the industry.

Looking ahead, ABAK said it would continue engaging regulators and urged consumers to buy only licensed products, positioning enforcement and compliance as the next key milestones as investigations in Nyeri continue.