Conflict of Interest: Why KBL Shouldn’t Train Law Enforcement

Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), owned by Diageo, recently partnered with the Alcoholic Beverages Association of Kenya (ABAK) to train over 185 police officers in Murang’a on identifying illicit alcohol. While addressing the issue of illicit alcohol is important, this initiative reveals deeper problems that go beyond consumer safety.

First, KBL’s training sessions are not limited to technical guidance on identifying counterfeit products. They also heavily emphasize the economic contributions of the alcohol industry and frame illicit alcohol as the primary culprit for revenue losses. This messaging aligns with KBL’s ongoing strategy to lobby against alcohol tax increases, frequently citing illicit alcohol as their main argument. By conflating these issues, KBL works to protect its bottom line, diverting attention from the harm caused by legal alcohol and the proven effectiveness of alcohol taxation in reducing harm.

Second, there is a glaring conflict of interest. The training of law enforcement officers on illicit alcohol should be an impartial, government-led initiative. When a vested interest like KBL takes the lead, the narrative is inevitably skewed to favor the company’s agenda, prioritizing corporate profits over public health. Allowing alcohol corporations to influence such critical training undermines the credibility of public efforts and risks embedding industry biases into enforcement policies.

KBL’s approach underscores a troubling pattern in the alcohol industry: using the issue of illicit alcohol as a smokescreen to oppose stronger alcohol policies. While illicit alcohol poses genuine risks, the majority of alcohol harm – from noncommunicable diseases to violence – stems from legal products from the alcohol industry.

Political interference, or lobbying, is Big Alcohol’s activity to eliminate or minimize any alcohol policy effort that would threaten sales and profits. The focus of this Dubious 5 strategy is the decision-makers and opinion leaders with the power to shape and decide alcohol policy decisions. Tactics of political interference are delay, derail, or even destroy alcohol policy initiatives, and to divide coalitions supporting alcohol policy initiatives. Big Alcohol is paying lobbyists and lobby front groups to interfere in public health policy making around the world.

Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/kenya-breweries-limited_kbl-in-partnership-with-the-alcoholic-beverages-activity-7275520787430715392-Xih5/

MORE STORIES