The Rwanda National Police has issued a strong warning against secret alcohol production, highlighting the rising threat of substandard beverages that continue to endanger lives.
Police Spokesperson Boniface Rutikanga told RBA that unsafe alcohol is not only made by small-scale operators or individual sellers, but some licensed factories are misusing their permits to secretly produce unapproved drinks.
“These illicit beverages are produced by various actors: some at home, some for ordinary sale, and even some licensed factories that exploit their permits to manufacture unauthorized alcohol in secret,” ACP Rutikanga said.
He explained that many factories initially present approved equipment and machinery to secure permits but later operate clandestine production lines using unapproved substances.
“Even factories known for legal products may have hidden setups where everything produced is unregulated and unsafe,” he added.
Substandard alcohol has become a major public health crisis. The Ministry of Health reported that between February 2 and 12, 2026, hospitals in Bugesera, Ruhango, Nyamagabe, and Rwamagana treated 229 patients for alcohol poisoning, 28 of whom died.
Dr. Oreste Tugireyezu, Head of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, said investigations revealed the use of toxic chemicals such as methanol, which attacks the brain, kidneys, stomach, and intestines, causing severe and often fatal effects.
ACP Rutikanga confirmed that multiple agencies are working together to trace methanol in the supply chain and regulate how alcohol is sold to protect consumers.
Authorities are urging citizens to only buy alcohol from licensed, regulated sources as part of an ongoing crackdown on illegal and deadly alcohol production.
