MPs DEMAND ANSWERS FROM KRA, KEBS OVER SURGE IN COUNTERFEIT ALCOHOL WITH FAKE EXCISE STAMPS

Kenyan lawmakers are demanding answers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) over the growing circulation of counterfeit alcoholic drinks in the country.

The concerns follow reports that some fake alcoholic products are being sold with what appear to be KRA excise stamps and KEBS quality marks, making it difficult for consumers to distinguish counterfeit products from genuine ones. 

National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah questioned how counterfeiters are able to obtain or reproduce revenue stamps used to give fake alcohol the appearance of legitimate products. He said counterfeit KRA stamps were reportedly being sold along Kiambu Road and questioned why the problem had persisted despite previous efforts to address it. 

Nyeri Town MP Duncan Mathenge also raised concerns about enforcement, recounting an inspection exercise in which KRA officials allegedly identified excise stamps on products as fake. He questioned subsequent enforcement after the matter reached court. These are claims made by the MP and have not been independently established as findings against specific officials. 

The issue has also featured in Parliament previously. In February 2026, lawmakers raised concerns over alleged gaps in monitoring licensed alcohol manufacturers and distributors, including weaknesses in quality control, product traceability and distribution oversight. 

In June, the government told Parliament that regulatory agencies had been conducting market surveillance, product sampling and verification of standardisation marks. It listed measures including multi-agency inspections, intelligence-led raids, seizure and destruction of non-compliant products, closure of illegal premises, prosecution and product recalls where necessary. 

MPs are now seeking more detailed information on the scale of the counterfeit alcohol problem, including reported cases of poisoning, serious illness and deaths linked to adulterated drinks. They also want authorities to disclose laboratory findings, substances detected in affected products and action taken against those responsible. 

Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda has called for the government to explain how it is identifying, tracking and dismantling networks involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of adulterated alcoholic beverages.

The renewed scrutiny places KRA, KEBS and other enforcement agencies under pressure to demonstrate how counterfeit products are entering the market and how consumers can be better protected.

The concerns are not entirely new. In November 2025, Senator Karen Nyamu similarly raised the issue of counterfeit alcoholic beverages carrying falsified KEBS stickers and excise duty stamps, calling for stronger detection, tracing and enforcement measures. 

The central question now facing regulators is how counterfeit alcohol can continue reaching consumers while carrying markings intended to assure the public that products are genuine and compliant.