Rwanda’s government has defended the ongoing closure of factories producing substandard alcoholic beverages, saying protecting citizens’ health remains more important than economic interests linked to businesses that violate safety regulations.

Rubavu District Mayor Mulindwa Prosper has urged 302 Rwandans who returned home from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after years under FDLR captivity to distance themselves from the forces and circumstances that pushed them into exile.

Rwanda has received 177 refugees and asylum seekers evacuated from Libya, marking the 24th group to arrive in the country under the Emergency Transit Mechanism (ETM), a programme aimed at providing protection for vulnerable people stranded in conflict-affected areas.

Authorities in Kigali have seized more than 470,000 litres of ethanol in a four-day operation targeting illegal alcohol production, as Rwanda intensifies its fight against unsafe alcoholic beverages.

The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) has banned the importation of 52 alcoholic beverage brands, including Konyagi, Kiwingu, Gilbey's, K-Vant and Bond 7, as the country steps up efforts to protect consumers from unsafe alcohol.

Gasabo District says alcohol-related crimes have declined by nearly 65 per cent after authorities closed 3,400 bars operating illegally, including those involved in the sale of substandard alcohol.

Health Minister Dr Sabin Nsanzimana has raised alarm over the dangers of illicit alcohol known as “ibyuma”, revealing that some products labelled as containing 40 per cent alcohol have been found to contain up to 90 per cent alcohol.