Buying alcohol online in Nairobi? New conditions you need to know about

The High Court has suspended the online listing, sale and purchase of alcoholic drinks in Nairobi unless digital platforms and marketplaces comply with specific licensing and age-verification requirements.

In a ruling delivered on Monday, Justice David Mburu directed that platforms must have operational licences before allowing alcohol sales. They must also create designated sections that restrict access to alcoholic drinks based on customers’ ages.

The court ordered that customers must provide secure authentication details before accessing these sections. The accepted methods include a password, personal identification number or an equivalent security mechanism.

The platforms must also establish that customers are at least 18 years old before granting them access to the restricted sections.

The court further directed that a buyer’s age must be verified before a transaction is completed. The verification must also be repeated when the alcoholic drink is delivered to the customer.

This means platforms cannot rely on age checks conducted when customers first access their websites or applications. They must confirm the purchaser’s age at both stages of the buying process.

The case will be mentioned on November 18, 2026, when the court is expected to confirm whether the parties have complied with the orders and issue further directions.

The ruling comes as Nairobi City County moves to tighten controls in the alcohol industry through the proposed Nairobi City County Alcoholic Drinks Control and Licensing Bill, 2026 (Bill No. 3 of 2026).

The move also comes amid discussions about raising the legal drinking age in Kenya from 18 to 21. National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah has supported the proposed change, arguing that young people are starting to consume alcohol too early.

While discussing the Alcoholic Drinks and Drug Control Laws Amendment Bill of 2026 in the National Assembly on Thursday, November 5, Ichung’wah said the proposed increase was one of the measures intended to address alcohol abuse.

He also pointed to concerns about excessive drinking among young people and the need to address the problem across the country.

“I attended a funeral this morning. And at that funeral, even the archbishop was preaching about the abuse of alcohol not just in the Mount Kenya region but across our country,” Ichung’wah said.

He noted that concerns about alcohol consumption were not limited to one region, adding that the proposed amendments sought to address several issues linked to alcohol and drug control.

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