NACADA raises alarm over minors buying alcohol from petrol stations in Nairobi

The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has raised serious concerns over reports of minors accessing alcoholic beverages from outlets located inside petrol stations within Nairobi's high-end estates.

According to NACADA, this troubling trend has been exacerbated by the growing reliance on mobile money transactions, which bypass the legal requirement of verifying a customer's age.

The authority’s Chief Executive Officer Anthony Omerikwa on Tuesday warned that many underage individuals are exploiting the mobile money system to purchase alcohol.

This has led to a situation where business owners assume that anyone using mobile payment services is of legal drinking age, typically over 18 years.

“We are deeply concerned by reports of minors accessing alcoholic beverages, particularly from dispensing outlets located in petrol stations within Nairobi’s Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, and Ngong Road estates,” he said.

“This alarming trend is linked to the increased reliance on mobile money transactions, bypassing the requirement of verifying customers’ ages. This is often premised on the assumption that anyone with mobile money is over 18 years old,” Omerikwa added.

Legal implications

NACADA noted that the sale of alcohol to minors is a direct violation of Kenya’s Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, 2010. Section 32 (1) of the Act prohibits the sale or supply of alcoholic drinks to individuals under 18 years, and those found violating this provision face severe penalties, including fines of up to Sh150,000, imprisonment for up to 12 months, or both.

The authority also reminded alcohol-selling establishments of the critical requirement to demand proof of age from all customers before serving them.

“Section 32 (4) mandates operators of alcohol-selling establishments to demand proof of age through valid identification before serving a customer. Non-compliance constitutes an offence under the Act,” NACADA said.

Moreover, the authority reiterated that failure to adhere to regulated operating hours for alcohol outlets would result in serious penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and even license revocation.

Section 12 of the Act prescribes specific operating hours for alcohol outlets, which must be observed by all dispensers.

As a result, NACADA has committed to a nationwide crackdown in collaboration with enforcement agencies to ensure that these laws are strictly followed.

The authority also called on the public to report any outlets found violating these regulations.

“To report violations or seek assistance on alcohol or drug-related issues, contact NACADA through the toll-free helpline 1192,” the authority said.