MP Opendi will propose legislation to regulate drinking hours.

Representative for the Tororo District, Sarah Opendi, will introduce the Alcohol Control Bill, which seeks to limit drinking.

The Private Member’s Bill seeks to repeal the existing legislation, which includes the Liquor Act, the Portable Spirit Act, and the Enguli (Manufacturing and Licensing) Act, all of which were enacted in the 1960s and are no longer relevant to address the contemporary challenges of excessive alcohol consumption.

Opendi is worried that the harmful use of alcoholic beverages creates a high disease burden and has substantial social and economic repercussions, such as domestic violence, which frequently ends in harm to people.

She stated that the Bill will thoroughly regulate the production, importation, distribution, and use of alcoholic beverages.

She also desires that the legislation govern the promotion and advertising of alcoholic beverages, as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of alcoholic beverage-affected individuals, among other things.

“The current laws have their flaws, and we need harsh measures or penalties to limit the consumption and manufacturing of alcohol in the country,” added Opendi.

Opendi noted that while the government cannot prevent people from drinking alcohol, it may limit drinking hours.

Rose Obiga, a member of parliament for the Terego District, described the devastating impacts of unregulated alcohol consumption, mentioning ‘City 5’, a strong local gin created by City 5 Distillers in Arua City that killed at least 15 people in August of this year.

“Recently, we’ve lost a large number of people; I’d want to draw attention to the fact that many alcoholics neglect their families. “It is a big cause of marital violence, failure to pay school fees, care for their children and wives, and failure to pay child support,” she said.

Equally, Amuru District Woman Representative, Hon. Lucy Akello, stated that the Bill will assist in curbing the production, sale, and consumption of harmful alcohol brands that have become too affordable for consumers, including youngsters, around the nation.

The Honorable Medard Lubega Sseggona (NUP, Busiro County East) criticized the bill’s proponents for sexualizing it.
“If it’s true that individuals neglect their children and wives, what happens to alcoholic wives?” he said.

Anita Among, however, stated that it was a truth that many alcoholics neglect their family when they consume excessive amounts of alcohol.

The Ministry of Health formulated the National Alcohol Control Policy in 2019 to guide the actions of all relevant stakeholders in an effort to limit the harmful use of alcohol, but the policy has not been adequately examined or implemented.

Notably, according to the 2018 World Health Organization Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health, Uganda is one of the highest per capita consumers of alcohol in Africa.
Uganda was also recognized as the top consumer per capita in East Africa.