Health Minister Dr Sabin Nsanzimana has warned that Rwanda’s life expectancy could have dropped from around 70 years to 50 if the government had failed to take decisive action against substandard alcoholic beverages commonly known as “Ibyuma.”
Dr Sabin said excessive alcohol consumption had become more than a public health concern, arguing that its effects could also undermine families, communities and the country’s broader social wellbeing.
He said the government’s decision to remove “Ibyuma” from the market followed concerns over the number of people being harmed by the beverages, including young people.
“These drinks, known as ‘Ibyuma,’ may have provided livelihoods for some people, but they were killing many others. It is a slow and persistent killer. When you hear that someone has died, there are many more who are sick,” he said.
Minister warns of long-term impact
Dr Sabin said unchecked alcohol abuse could have serious consequences for a country’s development and population health.
He referred to Russia as an example, citing the impact he attributed to heavy alcohol consumption and saying Rwanda could have faced a similar trajectory if consumption of the beverages had continued to rise.
“We were looking ahead and realised that if these drinks continued, life expectancy among Rwandans could have fallen from the current 70 years to 50, because young people were increasingly consuming them,” he said.
More than 500 people treated
Health authorities have reported that more than 500 people were taken to health facilities since January 2026 after consuming substandard alcoholic beverages.
Of those cases, 50 reportedly died while 100 suffered permanent blindness. More than 11,000 people are also reported to have developed alcohol dependence.
Dr Sabin said the reported deaths do not capture the full scale of the problem because many others have suffered serious health consequences without dying.
“The 50 people reported to have died from substandard alcohol are those who died recently. There are many more who have been lost while still alive,” he said.
He added that the government had considered the wider consequences before deciding to take stronger action.
“After looking at all of this, the country said no. This country should not be left in the hands of drunk people,” Dr Sabin said.
Government expects social impact
The minister said the government had considered several options and tried other measures before settling on the current crackdown.
He said the impact of the decision would become clearer over time, particularly through changes in family and community life.
He pointed to the potential for reduced alcohol abuse, fewer cases of children mistreating parents and a decline in domestic violence and other social problems associated with excessive drinking.
“People will see that the decision the government took was important when they see the results: fewer people struggling with alcohol, children no longer mistreating their parents, husbands no longer beating their wives, and many other problems that were caused by ‘Ibyuma’,” he said.
Rwanda is continuing a nationwide campaign to remove substandard alcoholic beverages from the market, including the collection and destruction of prohibited products and the closure of facilities found to be producing them.
