The Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has uncovered serious hygiene violations at some factories that were producing substandard alcoholic drinks, including washing beverage bottles with sticks and soap instead of using specialised cleaning equipment.
RIB spokesperson Dr Murangira B. Thierry disclosed the findings on August 13, 2026, during a press briefing at RIB headquarters in Kigali, where authorities presented 18 public officials arrested in connection with the production and distribution of unsafe alcoholic beverages.
Dr Murangira said investigators found some factories operating in conditions that posed a serious risk to consumers, including extremely poor bottle-cleaning practices.
“We found people washing bottles using their hands, sticks and soap. Normally, bottles used for beverages produced in factories are cleaned using a specialised machine called a bottle rinser, which helps ensure the containers are hygienically cleaned,” he said.
Investigators also found factories mixing ingredients without proper measurements, according to RIB.
Dr Murangira said some producers mixed water, ethanol and other substances in rusty containers that lacked measurement markings to determine the quantities being used.
“Some of the factories producing these drinks were mixing the beverages in containers full of rust when combining water, ethanol and other substances. These containers did not have measurements showing the quantities of the ingredients being mixed,” he said.
He said some producers relied on improvised methods rather than established production standards, raising concerns about the safety and consistency of the beverages.
Assault cases fall by nearly half
RIB said the government’s crackdown on substandard alcoholic drinks has coincided with a sharp decline in reported cases of assault and bodily injury.
According to figures provided by the agency, 345 cases of assault and bodily injury were recorded between July 15 and July 31.
Between August 1 and August 13, the number fell to 188 cases, representing a decline of about 46%.
The crackdown has also resulted in the arrest of 18 public officials, most of them employees of the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) and the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB).
The officials are suspected of offences including abuse of authority for personal benefit and aiding or facilitating the supply of substances capable of causing death or serious harm.
RIB alleges that some of the officials had a role in allowing factories to operate despite failing to meet required standards or lacking the necessary authorisation.
Authorities say investigations into the production and distribution of substandard alcoholic beverages are continuing as they pursue others suspected of involvement.
The crackdown is part of broader government efforts to remove unsafe alcoholic products from the market and protect consumers from health risks associated with poorly produced beverages.
