Governor Nassir Warns Against Growth of Bars in Mombasa Despite Revenue Gains

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir has challenged alcohol licensing boards to strike a balance between revenue collection and sustainable urban development, saying licensing decisions should positively contribute to society.

The governor called for stricter regulation of the number of bars and liquor outlets in Mombasa and other counties, noting that despite the revenue generated from liquor licenses, alcohol-related social problems continue to rise.

Speaking during the 2nd annual caucus of liquor licensing and control board conference 2026 held in Mombasa, Nassir revealed that Mombasa has more bars than churches and mosques combined, describing the trend as a growing concern that requires urgent intervention from regulators and stakeholders.

“ If you look at the number of Mosques, Churches and schools and combine them together, we still have more bars than all these institutions combined”, he stated.

The governor urged society to support efforts aimed at promoting responsible alcohol consumption and safeguarding communities from alcohol-related harm.

“Success can never be measured by how much revenue we collect through liquor. Success can only be measured when we can be able to balance between revenue and ensuring we have cities and counties that will grow in a manner we wish them to grow”, said Nassir.

However, the national Chairman of the Caucus of Liquor Licensing and Control Boards Julius Owino appealed to County governments to channel revenue collected from liquor licensing into a dedicated fund to support rehabilitation programmes and community social responsibility initiatives.

 “Counties we need to review our alcoholic drink Acts because most of us as seeing this as revenue instead of a fund. These funds should support things like rehabilitation and community programmes’, Said Owino.

#Abdulswamad    #MombasaCounty  #Liqour

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