Alcohol Bill will crash Uganda’s economy-UMA
UMA made the remarks while appearing before the Joint Parliament's Committee of Health and Trade to present their views on the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, 2023 that was tabled by Sarah Opendi (DWR Tororo).
Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) has warned Parliament that enacting the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2023 in its current form will likely crash Uganda’s economy because the Bill is targeting the formal sector, leaving the informal sector to produce illicit alcohol which is detrimental to the health of consumers.
UMA made the remarks while appearing before the Joint Parliament’s Committee of Health and Trade to present their views on the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, 2023 that was tabled by Sarah Opendi (DWR Tororo).
Ezra Muhumuza, Executive Director, UMA dared MPs to take the anti-alcohol campaign back to their constituencies and see what impact it will have on their political careers, arguing that alcohol has been part of Uganda’s social fabric and efforts should rather be focused on the behavioral aspect of alcohol abuse, instead of resorting to a new law.
“We as manufacturers, we ought to see what happens with the advance effects of consuming alcohol and we think excess consumption of anything has adverse effects. We think that instead of extending a law, to look into behaviour and adverse effects, we would rather see how we can work with the Government and reduce this. I want to believe all these MPs that you appreciate that alcohol is a social fabric in our society if you want to give it a try, try in your next campaign and say, I am not coming to a rally where there is alcohol, we will meet in this Committee and come with results,” said Muhumuza.
The Association also rejected the provision in clause 5(5) of the bill that imposes a prerequisite for the grant of license to business premises only situated 400 meters away from any school, a health facility, a residential area, or place of worship describing the provision as impractical and an attempt to push Uganda into communism.
Allan Ssenyondwa the director of policy research and advocacy at Uganda Manufacturers Association, stated that the country is highly informal, and because of its informality, there is a high illicit trade, therefore whatever’s to be done authorities must ensure that they can legislate for both the informal and formal sector.
“Touch alcohol and this whole sector and you won’t have enough money to appropriate in this Parliament. Don’t place undue burden on businesses or stifle the ability to innovate and grow,”
He added that as manufacturers, they ought to see what happens with the advance effects of consuming alcohol and think that excess consumption of anything, has got adverse effects.
“We think that instead of extending a law, to look into behaviour and adverse effects, we would rather see how we can work with the Government and reduce this. I want to believe all these MPs that you appreciate that alcohol is a social fabric in our society if you want to give it a try, try in your next campaign and say, I am not coming to a rally where there is alcohol, we will meet in this Committee and come with results,” he noted.
The proposed Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2023 looks at a 10-year jail term or a fine of UGX 20 million to be slapped on anyone selling alcohol before 5 pm and beyond 10 pm on working days.
