Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva has said the government is not considering compensation for manufacturers whose alcohol production facilities were shut down, arguing that protecting public health was the priority.
He made the remarks on Friday, October 2, 2026, while presenting the government’s work on developing Rwanda’s financial sector to both chambers of Parliament.
MP Christine Mukabunani asked whether the government had plans to support businesses that invested in alcohol production before their products were removed from the market, including those that had taken bank loans to finance their operations.
Nsengiyumva said the government’s primary concern was not the money invested by the manufacturers, but the harm caused by unsafe alcohol products.
He cited cases in which ethanol intended for use in hair salons was allegedly diverted for consumption, resulting in people losing their sight and, in some cases, dying.
“Should we be more concerned about someone who borrowed money from a bank, or about a child who became an orphan or a woman who became a widow because her husband drank this alcohol? What should concern us most is the health of those people, rather than someone who sought to make money in ways that went against the conditions under which they were licensed,” he said.
The Prime Minister said none of the factories that were shut down had been closed without grounds, arguing that each had violated requirements attached to its operating licence.
He pointed to SKOL and BRALIRWA as examples of breweries that were not shut down because they had not committed the violations that led to the closure of other producers, although they were also subsequently inspected.
He rejected claims that having a valid trading licence was enough to justify continued operations, saying businesses were required to comply with the conditions under which their licences were issued.
Nsengiyumva said alcohol production could resume in the future under a new regulatory framework designed to ensure that manufacturers operate within the law.
“There is no reason to have 250 factories producing liquor when a bottle of water or a cup of milk costs more than a bottle of liquor,” he said.
He added that people facing legal proceedings over offences related to the production of illicit alcohol would have to pursue other lawful business activities if they are acquitted and choose to reinvest their money.
