The latest enforcement action, announced on Thursday, marks the fourth list of local manufacturers affected by the nationwide operation. Rwanda FDA had previously closed 101 manufacturers in the first phase, followed by another eight in the second and 27 in the third.
The newly closed manufacturers are INNOPRO Ltd, Rwamagana Banana Wine CPC Company Ltd, Inganzo Flower Drinks Ltd, ALKO Vintage R Ltd, CFRDTA Ltd, J.H Production Ltd, GACELEMUTERI Ltd, Urakire Business Center Ltd, WIPROCO, Ibyiwacu Product Ltd, EMEFRA Company Ltd and USALAMA Ltd.
Their products include a range of banana-based alcoholic beverages, ginger-flavoured alcoholic drinks, wines and other locally produced alcoholic beverages.
In a public announcement, Rwanda FDA said all manufacturing licenses associated with the facilities had been revoked with immediate effect and ordered the withdrawal of all products originating from the affected manufacturers.
The regulator instructed manufacturers to initiate a full product recall, work with distributors to retrieve products already supplied to retailers and consumers, and submit recall reports within three working days.
Distributors and retailers were ordered to immediately stop selling and distributing the affected products and return remaining stock to their suppliers, while consumers were advised to stop consuming the listed beverages immediately.
Rwanda FDA also directed that all advertisements and promotional materials for alcoholic beverages produced by manufacturers listed in the first, second, third and fourth enforcement notices be removed without delay.
“Non-compliance with all the above will result in measures under applicable regulatory provisions,” the regulator warned, adding that additional lists of manufacturers could be published as inspections and regulatory enforcement continue.
The latest action comes a day after the government suspended the importation of 52 alcoholic beverage brands from international markets, including Gilbeys Gin, Konyagi, Kiwingu and 49 other brands, and ordered their immediate nationwide recall.
The suspended products originate from Burundi, India, Kenya, Poland, Tanzania and Uganda, extending the crackdown beyond locally manufactured alcoholic beverages.
The ongoing enforcement campaign is part of government efforts to remove unsafe alcoholic beverages from the market and protect public health.
Speaking to IGIHE earlier this week, Minister of Health Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana said investigations had established links between unsafe alcoholic drinks and more than 50 deaths recorded between January and July.
He added that more than 500 people sought medical treatment after consuming the drinks, over 100 people lost their eyesight, and a nationwide assessment identified nearly 11,000 people struggling with alcohol addiction.
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