Former National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) chairman John Mututho has claimed that there is no genuine vodka manufactured in Kenya.
Mututho argued that companies seeking to manufacture or sell vodka in Kenya must meet internationally recognised standards.
“There’s no genuine vodka in Kenya. If you want to sell vodka, then you must conform to the internationally accepted standards of vodka,” Mututho said during an interview with NTV.
The former NACADA chairman also claimed that a significant proportion of the industrial ethanol used in Kenya is imported.
“All alcohol (industrial ethanol) consumed in Kenya is imported by one company to a level of 80 per cent,” he alleged.
However, Mututho did not name the company he was referring to or provide evidence to support the 80 per cent figure during the interview.
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His latest remarks echo comments he made in February 2024 during a separate TV interview, when he challenged local manufacturers to prove that they produce genuine vodka.
“There is no vodka in Kenya. What you have been drinking is not vodka. Any Kenyan company claiming they make vodka should invite me to verify,” he said at the time.
He challenged local distillers to invite him to inspect their facilities and demonstrate that their production processes met internationally accepted standards.
Known for his hardline stance against illicit alcohol consumption since yesteryears, Mututho argued that genuine vodka production requires specific ingredients and processes, questioning whether local manufacturers were meeting the required criteria.
He has also previously raised concerns over the quality of alcoholic drinks consumed in Kenya.
In February 2025, Mututho further claimed that more than 85 per cent of Kenyans were “drinking poison”, alleging that only a small proportion of consumers could afford genuine imported alcoholic beverages.
“Few rich people can afford to import good stuff but majority of Kenyans, most of you over 85 per cent are drinking poison,” he said.
His latest remarks come amid continued concerns over counterfeit and illicit alcoholic drinks in Kenya, with authorities periodically conducting crackdowns on products suspected of failing to meet safety and quality requirements.
During the recent interview, Mututho also criticised what he described as inadequate funding for NACADA, arguing that the authority requires greater resources to effectively address alcohol and drug abuse.
Mututho’s claims were, however, not independently verified during the interview.