CS Murkomen Declares Total War on Alcohol as 2.8 Million Litres Confiscated

By Kepher Otieno - Reporter

Kenya, 14 April 2026 - Kenya’s intensifying war against illicit alcohol and narcotics has entered a decisive and uncompromising phase, with the State unveiling a sweeping enforcement record that underscores both the magnitude of the crisis and the resolve at the heart of government.

Acting upon the directive of William Ruto—who, on 31 December 2025, declared drug and substance abuse a “National Development and Security Emergency”—a formidable multi-agency force has mounted a relentless nationwide crackdown that is now yielding stark results.

Data released by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse, in collaboration with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and other State bodies, reveals that more than 2.8 million litres of illicit alcohol have been seized since the operation commenced in December, while over 900 suspects have been arrested. The figures, by any measure, are staggering, pointing to a deeply entrenched and highly organised underground trade.

The seizures extend well beyond illicit brews. Authorities have also confiscated over 21,000 litres of ethanol alongside substantial quantities of narcotics, including cannabis, cocaine, ketamine, and methamphetamine—an indication that the crackdown is targeting a broad and interconnected web of criminal enterprise. The Rift Valley region has emerged as the principal hotspot, accounting for over 870,000 litres of seized alcohol, particularly the notorious bhangra and kangara concoctions. Nyanza and Western regions follow closely, while Nairobi alone recorded over 300,000 litres of counterfeit alcohol intercepted within the capital. Across Eastern, Central, Coast, and North Eastern regions, the pattern is replicated, albeit at varying scales, revealing a vice that spares no corner of the Republic.

Yet it is the tone and tenor of the State’s response that now commands the greatest attention. In a series of forceful and deliberate pronouncements, CS Interior Kipchumba Murkomen has articulated a doctrine that moves beyond conventional enforcement into the realm of total disruption.

“We are accelerating this campaign with renewed vigour,” he declared, “particularly during the school holidays, so as to consolidate the gains already made and to ensure that this menace is extinguished at its root.”

Significantly, the Cabinet Secretary signalled a strategic shift towards economic warfare against the perpetrators.

“We are moving beyond prosecution,” he stated.

“We shall seize the assets of those found culpable, freeze their accounts, and dismantle, piece by piece, the financial architecture that sustains this illicit trade.”

More from Kenya

Somali Region Votes as Ethiopia Holds Seventh General Election

From Wajir to the Nation: President Ruto Presides Over 63rd Madaraka Day Celebrations

In a pointed warning that reaches into the ranks of the State itself, he added: “Any police officer, administrator, or public servant who is found to be facilitating, protecting, or colluding with these criminal networks will be removed from office without hesitation and subjected to the full force of the law.”

His most striking declaration, however, captured both the moral urgency and political weight of the campaign: “We shall not relent until we have completely dismantled all drug and illicit alcohol cartels that are, quite plainly, stealing the future of our children.”

The operation draws together an expansive coalition of State agencies, including the National Police Service, National Intelligence Service, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Financial Reporting Centre, and the Asset Recovery Agency, among others—an alignment that signals a whole-of-government mobilisation rarely witnessed outside moments of acute national concern.

Interior PS Dr Raymond Omollo has previously made such similar sentiment calling on culprits to obey the law and warning of no sacred cows in the illicit drugs war.

The political implications are profound. And by framing the crisis in existential terms and coupling it with a visibly aggressive enforcement strategy, the administration has staked its authority and credibility on the outcome. The campaign is no longer merely a law enforcement exercise; it is a test of the State’s capacity to assert control, restore order, and safeguard its citizenry.

Whether this intensified offensive will deliver enduring structural change remains to be seen. Illicit economies, by their nature, are adaptive and elusive. Yet for now, the message emanating from the corridors of power is unequivocal: the net is tightening, the stakes are rising, and, as declared in resolute terms by Murkomen himself, there shall be no retreat until the cartels are utterly dismantled.