The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) says it is actively engaging authorities in Rwanda and other regional regulatory bodies to understand why five Kenyan alcoholic beverage brands were temporarily suspended in Rwanda.
On August 5, 2026, the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) announced the suspension of the selected alcoholic beverages.
“The Bureau is actively engaging the Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority and other regional regulatory bodies to establish the basis for the temporary suspension and facilitate a technical resolution through established East African Community frameworks,” KEBS said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
The affected products include Kenya King Gin and Safari Gin, manufactured by London Distillers Kenya Ltd; Avalon and Sweet Berry Potable Spirits, manufactured by Zheng Hong (K) Ltd; and Gilbey’s Gin, manufactured by Kenya Breweries Ltd.
KEBS has defended the products, affirming that they have undergone rigorous conformity assessments, market surveillance, factory inspections, and laboratory testing, consistently meeting applicable Kenyan and East African standards.
“The five alcoholic beverage brands…have undergone rigorous conformity assessment, market surveillance, factory inspection, and laboratory testing by KEBS and have been found to comply with the applicable Kenyan and East African Standards,” the Bureau reiterated.
According to KEBS, these products bear valid Standardization Marks and fulfill all prescribed requirements for quality, safety, and labeling.
Following the Rwanda FDA’s announcement, KEBS conducted a comprehensive review of its certification records, quality assurance reports, market surveillance findings, factory inspection reports, and laboratory results. The agency also consulted with the affected manufacturers, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Partner States Bureaux of Standards, and the EAC Quality Assurance and Testing Sub-committee.
The review, KEBS reported, confirmed that the five products had previously undergone conformity assessment and testing against applicable standards. Historical laboratory reports, covering ethyl alcohol content, methanol, higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes, and volatile acids, also demonstrated compliance at the time of certification and surveillance.
KEBS says it subsequently carried out targeted inspections of the manufacturing facilities between August 7 and 10 to independently verify the products’ current compliance status. Fresh samples were collected and subjected to laboratory analysis.
These inspections encompassed manufacturing processes, quality management systems, process controls, product traceability, hygiene and sanitation, packaging and labeling, and adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices.
“Laboratory analyses confirmed that all five products complied with the requirements of KS EAS 145:2018, Gin Specification, and KS EAS 109:2018, Potable Spirit Specification,” KEBS stated.
The Bureau noted that these tests covered requirements related to alcohol content, methanol, higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes, volatile acids, and product labeling. Furthermore, inspections confirmed that the manufacturing facilities complied with all applicable quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.
KEBS also highlighted that its routine market surveillance program during the 2024/2025 financial year had sampled and tested 69 potable spirit products available in the Kenyan market, all of which were found to comply with applicable standards.
The Bureau says it remains dedicated to protecting consumers, facilitating fair trade, and maintaining confidence in Kenyan products both domestically and across the East African Community.
