President Paul Kagame has defended Rwanda’s ongoing crackdown on manufacturers of illicit and substandard alcoholic beverages, saying concerns over how factories are being closed should be directed to the authorities responsible for the enforcement process rather than allowed to overshadow the need to protect human life.
Speaking during a press conference in Kigali on Monday, Kagame said the government could not stand by while products suspected of causing serious harm continued to reach consumers.
“If there are questions about how something is being done, there are institutions responsible for that. But the first responsibility is to protect people’s lives,” Kagame said.
His comments come amid a nationwide campaign targeting manufacturers, distributors and sellers of alcoholic beverages that authorities say fail to meet required health and safety standards.
The Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) has revoked licences and closed dozens of factories following inspections and compliance assessments. The regulator has also ordered the withdrawal of affected products from the market.
The crackdown has since expanded into a wider investigation involving both private-sector operators and public officials accused of facilitating the production or distribution of unsafe alcoholic drinks.
On August 13, Rwanda National Police and the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) presented 17 public officials suspected of involvement in the illicit alcohol trade. The group included 10 Rwanda FDA employees, three Rwanda Standards Board officials and local government officials.
Among those implicated was Rwanda FDA Director General Prof. Emile Bienvenu, alongside other officials from the regulator. Investigators allege that some officials improperly issued or facilitated certifications for products and factories that did not meet required standards.
The involvement of senior FDA officials has added another dimension to the crackdown, raising questions about how some manufacturers were able to obtain or retain regulatory approval despite alleged compliance failures.
Rwanda FDA, whose mandate includes protecting public health through the regulation of processed foods and other products, has continued publishing regulatory notices and lists of revoked premises licences as enforcement efforts intensify.
The government says the campaign is driven by growing concerns over the consequences of unsafe alcoholic beverages. Authorities have reported cases involving deaths, serious health complications and social problems linked to consumption of substandard drinks.
For Kagame, however, the central issue is not simply the manner in which factories are being shut down but the broader responsibility of government to prevent dangerous products from reaching the public.
The President’s remarks signal that while complaints about enforcement procedures can be investigated by the relevant institutions, they should not distract from what the government considers its primary obligation: preventing avoidable loss of life.
The crackdown therefore continues on two fronts — removing dangerous alcoholic products and factories from the market while investigating officials and business operators suspected of enabling the problem in the first place.
