Cases involving assault and bodily injuries reported to security authorities have fallen by half since Rwanda intensified its crackdown on substandard alcoholic beverages, according to Rwanda National Police spokesperson ACP Boniface Rutikanga.
Rutikanga made the remarks on Thursday, August 13, 2026, during a press briefing at the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) headquarters in Kimihurura, Kigali.
He said police recorded 345 cases involving assault and bodily injuries between July 15 and 31, compared with 188 cases recorded from August 1 to August 13.
“This means that these cases have decreased by 50 percent over the two-week period. We expect them to decline further because the operation is still ongoing,” Rutikanga said.
He added that some people may still be hiding substandard alcoholic beverages despite the ongoing crackdown and warned that those found violating the restrictions would face legal consequences.
The crackdown on substandard alcohol
Rwanda began intensifying its crackdown on substandard alcoholic beverages in late July, with authorities closing factories found to be producing non-compliant products and ordering the removal of the drinks from the market.
The campaign has since expanded to the collection and destruction of prohibited alcoholic beverages across the country.
Authorities have linked excessive alcohol consumption to a range of social problems, including domestic conflicts, assault and other forms of violence.
Rutikanga said the decline in reported assault cases was an early indication that removing the products from communities could help reduce some of the problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption.
The police spokesperson, however, noted that the operation is still ongoing and that authorities expect further changes in the coming weeks.
