The government has taken fresh steps to limit where Kenyans can buy alcohol, targeting several popular points of sale in a new effort to reduce easy access and address growing concerns over harmful consumption.

Through a directive issued by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), alcohol sales are now banned in ten specific locations including homes, restaurants, online platforms, and supermarkets.

In the statement, Nacada listed supermarkets, restaurants, home deliveries, and online sales as among the newly prohibited channels of alcohol distribution.

Others include vending machines, recreational spaces such as sports grounds and amusement parks, toy shops, institutions of learning, residential areas, and public transport areas including bus stations and highways.

“The following modes and places of sale shall be prohibited,” the directive reads, setting out the locations where alcohol sales are no longer allowed.

These restrictions are expected to affect a large section of the population, including those who purchase alcohol for home use or rely on restaurant services. Hawking of alcoholic drinks has also been banned, along with sales in any setting designed for children.

Nacada said the decision is aimed at limiting exposure, especially for children and families, while addressing public health and safety concerns linked to alcohol abuse.

The authority said the new rules form part of a larger campaign to create safer communities by reducing the visibility and availability of alcohol in everyday settings.

The ban is anchored in the National Policy on the Prevention of Alcohol, Drugs and Substance Use (2025), which was approved by the Cabinet on June 24. Nacada believes the policy will help address the growing alcohol crisis in the country, particularly among the youth.

The policy introduces strict rules, including the prohibition of alcohol sales near schools and religious institutions, and calls for a zero-tolerance approach to the irresponsible promotion of alcohol and drug-related content.

This new directive builds on an earlier nationwide crackdown that Nacada launched in May 2024 targeting liquor-selling outlets near educational institutions.

At the time, Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa said, “The crackdown will be executed in collaboration with relevant national and county government agencies and seeks to ensure strict compliance with legal requirements about the positioning of such outlets.”

He said the crackdown was based on the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act of 2010, which outlines specific penalties for anyone found selling alcohol in restricted areas, including fines of up to Sh500,000, a prison term of up to three years, or both.