Rwanda: Families Benefit From Crackdown on Illicit Alcohol

For years, much of the money Liberate Mukamazipaka earned from plaiting hair disappeared almost as quickly as she made it. Her husband would demand the money to buy Ibyuma, an illicit alcoholic drink, and other crude locally brewed spirits. When she refused, she says, he could become violent. "I never used to save because whenever I made money from plaiting hair, he would demand it. It was even hard for me to buy school materials for our children," Mukamazipaka says. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Sometimes, she recalls, her husband threatened to sell household items to raise money for alcohol. "I was always scared of him when he was drunk, and our children were also scared," she says. Today, Mukamazipaka says, things are beginning to change. The Kabeza resident in Kanombe Sector has joined a savings group and is setting aside money she hopes to use to open a small neighbourhood shop selling charcoal and vegetables. She says the change has come as authorities intensify a nationwide crackdown on illicit and substandard alcohol. Since enforcement increased, her husband has reduced his drinking and started taking casual construction jobs. For Mukamazipaka, one of the clearest gains is financial. Money that previously went towards alcohol is increasingly staying with the family. There is also less fear at home. ALSO READ: Deadly cocktails: Inside Rwanda's crackdown on toxic homemade brews For Jackson Ishimwe, 50, a resident of Kimironko, the hope is that the crackdown and increased attention to alcohol abuse will help families such as his recover from damage already done. His eldest son dropped out of school in Senior Two after becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs. Ishimwe says his son fell in with a group of young people who abused alcohol and other substances before eventually leaving home and abandoning his studies. "My son and his friends became addicted to spirits. I later learned that he was no longer at school. He is currently at Iwawa Rehabilitation Centre and we hope he will return home reformed," he says. For Ishimwe, the immediate gain is the chance for his son to receive treatment and eventually rebuild his life. ALSO READ: Over 95% of youth in rehab centres linked to alcohol abuse - minister The experiences of the two families offer a glimpse into some of the changes being reported as Rwanda's campaign against illicit alcohol gathers pace. Beyond factory closures and seizures, authorities and health officials are pointing to changes in household spending, reported violence, treatment-seeking and alcohol-related emergencies. According to ACP Boniface Rutikanga, Rwanda National Police spokesperson, the nationwide crackdown has had a visible impact in areas where illicit alcohol was commonly produced, distributed or sold. The enforcement operation began on July 20, 2026, targeting the production, distribution and sale of illicit and substandard alcoholic beverages. By early August, the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority had ordered the closure of more than 130 facilities producing illicit alcoholic beverages and revoked their licences. Among the affected facilities were Ingufu Gin Ltd, NBG Ltd, SKY Drop Industries Ltd, Africana Buffalo Ltd, Nopa Company Ltd, Roots Investment Group Ltd, Rugali Agro-Processing Company and Zhonglu Industrial Liability Company Ltd. ALSO READ: Over 130 companies closed as crackdown on illicit alcohol widens Police figures also point to a decline in reported cases of battery. A total of 652 cases were recorded in July. By the end of August, the figure had fallen to 432 -- a drop of 220 cases. Police say the decline may indicate a positive impact of the crackdown, although other factors could also have contributed. The figures provide an early indication of possible changes in some of the social problems associated with harmful alcohol consumption. However, the campaign is still relatively new, and it would be too early to attribute the entire decline in reported batte