Ugandans urged not to take pride in being the leading alcohol consumers in Africa

Ugandans have been urged not to take pride in being the leading alcohol consumers in Africa because of the harm of alcohol dependence on the nation’s health sector.

The call was made by Henry Mwebesa, Director General Health Services at the Ministry of Health during a press briefing held at Parliament to commemorate the World Alcohol-Free Day which is usually held on 3rd October annually.

Mwebesa explained: “Uganda is one of the three leading alcohol consumers in the world. We are tops in Africa. It is not a trophy we should be proud of; we should be proud of trophies for sports, but not for high alcohol consumption,”

He defended his remarks by saying that alcohol consumption is associated with high crime rate, and gender-based violence, as well as chronic poverty and health complications like Non-Communicable Diseases, citing cases at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where cases of liver cancer have increased, with many attributed to alcohol dependence.

“We have many cases of liver cancer, and we know hepatitis B is the biggest cause. Besides causing liver cancer, alcohol also leads to liver psilosis, which damages the liver and then progresses to liver cancer. “In most cases, it is a very difficult disease, and it is very difficult to reverse it, so many are associated with death.”

Sarah Opendi (Tororo district Woman MP) explained why almost a year after being granted leave in November 2022 by Parliament to table the Alcohol Control Bill nothing has been brought to Parliament yet.

“As MPs, we are committed not [to] stopping the consumption of alcohol but regulating the consumption of alcohol. I was granted leave to do consultations, we have done consultations with the different stakeholders we have equally benchmarked with Kenya on the alcohol regulations, and anytime, soon, we shall have my bill presented before the house,”

She also denied allegations that she has been bullied by alcoholics not to table the bill stating, “I haven’t been defeated by the drunkards and I want to inform the drunkards, please drink responsibly, it is for your good, and the good of the community.”

“People drink the whole night up to morning, today morning as I was going for my usual exercise, at 6:30am along Acacia Avenue, so many bodas were waiting to transport drunkards back home, honestly, at what time are you going to work?”

Martial Magirigiri, Executive Director of National Care Centre, backed the enactment of the Alcohol Control Bill, especially on the provision of banning drinking of alcohol amongst people below 18 years, saying he started drinking at 3 years old and by Primary Six, he had graduated to drinking crude waragi and ended up losing his chance at being ordained as a priest after he was found drunk during the day.

In the proposed Alcohol Control Bill, Opendi is seeking to prohibit the manufacture and sale of alcohol without a license and proposed to have anyone found flouting this provision face a fine of 500 currency points equivalent to Shs10m or imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or both.

Opendi is also seeking to impose a timeline within which alcohol consumers are in a position to consume their drink, by prohibiting the sale before mid-day and beyond 6 pm, however, this provision wouldn’t be applied to supermarkets, mobile vans, deports, and wholesale shops. She proposed a fine of UGX20m or imprisonment for ten years.

The lawmaker is seeking to bar the sale of alcohol inside passenger vehicles, sale to law enforcement officers, persons below 18 years and any contravention of the said laws would attract monetary fines and jail sentences ranging between 3-10 years.