The Governor of Rwanda’s Southern Province, Kayitesi Alice, has announced a ban on the practice of bringing homemade beverages as gifts to social events, saying authorities cannot effectively verify the safety and quality of drinks prepared outside approved facilities.
She made the remarks in an interview with IGIHE on July 31, 2026, following the death of a 13-year-old child on July 30 in Nyamagabe District. The incident also left 37 other people hospitalized after they consumed beverages served at a wedding in Rugazi Village, Sekera Cell, Musebeya Sector.
Wedding Incident Prompts New Measures
According to reports, the family hosting the wedding had complied with government regulations by preparing food and alcoholic beverages that met the required safety standards. However, some guests brought traditional porridge (ubushera), fruit juice, and other homemade drinks as gifts. Several attendees fell ill after consuming the beverages, leading to the death of the 13-year-old child and the hospitalization of 37 others.
Authorities Stress Food Safety
Governor Kayitesi explained that while local authorities may authorize event organizers to prepare food and beverages for celebrations, that approval does not extend to drinks brought by guests, as those products are not inspected by the authorities.
She stressed that bringing homemade beverages as gifts is prohibited and urged residents to choose other approved forms of gifts instead.
She said: “Bringing homemade beverages to social events is not permitted because it prevents us from verifying how and where they were prepared. Inspection teams only assess the food and beverages prepared by the event organizers before granting authorization,”
Residents Encouraged to Choose Safer Alternatives
She advised residents to support families hosting celebrations by giving money, unprocessed agricultural products such as sorghum or bananas which can be inspected before use—or commercially produced beverages that meet national safety standards, including bottled water, soft drinks such as Fanta, and other legally marketed products.
She added: “People should not bring other homemade beverages because we cannot guarantee how or where they were prepared,”
Public Health Concerns Persist
Unsafe and substandard beverages remain a growing public health concern in Rwanda. Official figures indicate that over the past seven months, such drinks have claimed the lives of about 50 people and left 100 others blind.
