Kileleshwa Member of County Assembly Robert Alai has stated that the proposed regulations on alcohol by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse (NACADA) could greatly increase cases of domestic violence.

Speaking during a TV show on Thursday, July 31, 2025, Alai indicated that the vice economy is directly linked to peace and stability in family units and that relentless crackdowns worsen instances of domestic strife.

“When you try to control the vice economy, you are affecting the family directly. When we came very hard on enforcement, we realized that domestic crime was going up; when people go out into these dens and take their small pints of alcohol and drink, it relieves pressure off the family, and the workplace,” Alai said.

Raft of proposals

This comes after NACADA proposed that supermarkets, petrol stations, and vending machines would be prohibited from selling alcohol and other substances of abuse.

In the raft of proposals that NACADA made, it also suggested that the minimum legal age for handling, purchasing, consuming, and selling alcohol should be 21, from the current age of 18.

Similarly, NACADA proposed a ban on the use of direct and indirect price promotions, discount sales, provision of free alcohol, sales below cost, and flat rates for unlimited drinking. 

Prevention

Speaking during the unveiling of the policy proposals, NACADA board chairman Stephen Mairori stated that the agency was focused on the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse.

“We recognise the place of prevention, which is better than cure. The policy champions intensified public education and awareness campaigns, tailored to reach every corner of our nation, from the bustling cities to the remotest villages,” Mairori said.

 One of the proposals that rubbed on a section of Kenyans the wrong way was the prohibition of the sale of alcohol in public beaches, public parks, amusement parks, recreational facilities, medical facilities, sports facilities, bus parks, bus stops, railway stations, public transport, including trains, ferry stations, piers, and along the highways. 

Critics say the proposals could roll back the gains made in the tourism industry, which thrives in entertainment spots fueled by alcohol consumption.