Gov’t told to extend alcohol ban to civil servants

The bill, which is currently being scrutinized by Parliament's Joint Committee of Health and Trade prohibits among others the sale of alcohol to members of security forces.

However, members of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) while appearing before the committee on Thursday, suggested a wider ban to “cover all government civil servants.”

Pastor Joseph Serwadda, the President of the Born Again Faith in Uganda and co-chair of the IRCU, also proposed for the alcohol sale ban to be extended to “people who are already intoxicated and pregnant women, instead of limiting it to only officers in uniform.”

Meanwhile, the IRCU suggested another addendum for the ban on the sale of alcohol in public vehicles to be extended to private vehicles.

They also called for the government to license special vehicles to engage in the sale, distribution and transportation of alcohol in Uganda.

“The IRCU is of the view that alcohol sale and drinking should be restricted to both cargo and private vehicles also. There is a need to license vehicles to distribute, transport and sell alcohol,” said Serwadda.

The Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill was introduced by the Tororo District Woman Representative, Hon. Sarah Opendi, to regulate the manufacture, importation, sale, and consumption of alcoholic drinks.

The Bill, seeks to repeal the current legislation that includes the Liquor Act, the Portable Spirit Act, and the Enguli (Manufacturing and Licensing) Act, all enacted in the 1960s, which have become obsolete to address contemporary challenges of excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks.

The Bill also seeks to prohibit the sale of alcoholic drinks to specified persons, regulate the promotion and advertisement of alcoholic drinks, create public awareness of the dangers of excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks, and provide for the rehabilitation, counseling, and treatment of addicts.

There have been efforts in the recent past by Parliament to legislate on the consumption, sale, and manufacturing of alcohol, though they were unsuccessful.

In 2016, the Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament, Betty Nambooze Bakireke, unsuccessfully introduced the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2016. The Bill faced resistance from a section of MPs, concerned that the move would curtail the freedoms of consumers.