The High Court has temporarily suspended the online sale, advertising, marketing and delivery of alcoholic drinks in Nairobi, pending compliance with licensing regulations and measures aimed at preventing underage access.
In orders issued on November 9, 2026, at the Milimani Law Courts, the court restricted e-commerce platforms and digital marketplaces from listing, advertising, selling, ordering, supplying or delivering alcoholic drinks unless they meet prescribed licensing, age-verification and consumer protection requirements.
The court directed digital platforms facilitating alcohol sales to obtain the necessary licences and authorisations before continuing with the business.
It further ordered that alcohol purchasing services be confined to designated, access-restricted sections of digital platforms, where users must undergo secure authentication before gaining access.
Under the new safeguards, platforms must establish that customers are at least 18 years old before allowing them to access alcohol purchasing services. Their ages must also be verified before transactions are completed, with an additional verification required before the drinks are handed over to recipients.
The court also prohibited digital advertisements, hyperlinks and promotional tools that could allow consumers to bypass the prescribed age-verification and authentication procedures.
The restrictions followed an application filed by David Biketi Wati against the Nairobi City County Government, the Nairobi City County Alcoholic Drinks Control and Licensing Board and another respondent.
The court certified the application as urgent and granted prayers two and three on an interim basis as the matter awaits a full hearing and determination.
The petitioner was directed to serve the court orders on the respondents and interested parties within two days, while the respondents were given seven days from the date of service to file and serve their responses.
The matter will be mentioned on November 18, 2026, to confirm compliance and receive further directions.
The interim orders place online alcohol retailers and delivery platforms operating in Nairobi under tighter regulatory scrutiny, particularly regarding licensing, responsible marketing and measures to prevent minors from accessing alcoholic products.
