What do Glovo, Jumia, and a random boda guy in your estate have in common? They’ve all been caught in the crosshairs of Kenya’s new alcohol policy. Yes, today, NACADA (the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse) officially launched the 2025 National Policy on Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Use, and it’s a policy that doesn’t just take aim at bottles and bars. It’s also coming for your apps, algorithms, influencers, and underground deliveries.
If you thought your next bottle of whisky could still show up at your door via an online cart and a smooth delivery tracker, think again.
Let’s break it down.
1. No More Online Alcohol Orders
One of the boldest moves in the policy is the outright ban of online alcohol sales targeting big players like Glovo, Jumia, supermarkets, restaurants, and others. Yes, this includes home deliveries, vending machines, and those flashy “party packs” you see on Instagram during a football final.
Why? The goal is to limit access and availability, especially to minors and vulnerable users, and it seems the government doesn’t trust the internet to behave.
2. Tech-Heavy Monitoring Incoming
This isn’t just an anti-booze crusade. It’s a tech-regulation campaign in disguise.
Under the new policy, NACADA wants to collaborate with the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), the DCI’s cybercrime unit, and even the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) to monitor and regulate digital content related to alcohol and drug use.
Think:
- Age-gating online ads (finally),
- Tracking illicit online alcohol dealers,
- Using digital surveillance tools to comb through Telegram, TikTok, Instagram, and wherever else the drinks are pouring,
- Promoting counter-narratives online with the help of youth influencers.
In other words, digital alcohol marketing is about to face a major hangover.
3. Say Goodbye to Your Favourite Billboards and Boozy Ads
Marketing regulations under this policy are no joke. From banning outdoor advertising, celebrity endorsements, and social media promotions, to prohibiting marketing during children’s programming or school events, the message is clear: if you’re under 21, advertisers shouldn’t even be whispering “cheers” your way.
Even product placement in films and series could be flagged. It’s a full-on detox for alcohol promotion.
4. Prevention, Treatment, and Rehab
Beyond tech and e-commerce bans, the policy lays a full foundation for tackling substance use at every level. It includes:
- Raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21,
- Creating alcohol- and drug-free zones near schools and churches,
- Introducing mental health and drug education in schools,
- And revamping rehabilitation approaches, recognizing addiction as a medical and psychosocial issue.
Plus, they’re introducing a digitized licensing system for alcohol vendors and stepping up border patrols to choke off the supply of counterfeit and illicit brews.
5. The Data Game: Research & Evaluation
In an unexpected (and very welcome) tech-forward twist, the policy calls for a National Drug Observatory — a central place to collect and analyze data on substance use. Think community surveys, school-based reports, even research into emerging issues like vaping and synthetic drugs. Collaborations with universities and think tanks are being encouraged, and the data will be used to shape future laws and policies.
Tech Is Not Just a Tool, It’s a Target
As Kenya enters a new era of digital regulation, substance control is becoming just as much about pixels and platforms as it is about bottles and bars. The 2025 policy is bold, tech-aware, and layered with both promise and potential pitfalls.
But it’s also clear: from WhatsApp deals to Instagram reels, the battleground has shifted. And NACADA, armed with surveillance tools and a new mindset, seems ready to take the fight online.
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