Alcohol Drinks Control Bill: Uganda Alcohol Industry Association meets ministers for trade and investment to discuss concerns with the proposed bill

By Our Reporter The Uganda Alcohol Industry Association (UAIA) has met with the minister of State for Investment Hon Evelyn Anite and the Minister of State for Trade Hon David Bahati to address major concerns on the proposed Alcohol Drinks Control Bill 2023, which seeks to regulate the manufacture, importation, sale, consumption and advertisement of alcoholic drinks in Uganda. During the consultation meeting , the Ministers, at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning boardroom, members of the association pointed out untenable clauses that need to be reviewed due to the negative impact it poses for the economy and the industry once enacted into law. Key among their concerns in the proposed Bill is the exclusion and/or non-regulation of native liquor for which accounts for 65% of the alcohol produced and 50% market share, the shift of the implementation mandate from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to the Ministry of Health and the requirement for additional licensing for manufacturers and sellers of alcohol beverages in the alcoholic industry. They were also skeptical of the clause on operating hours (5pm to 10pm on weekdays) as well as of the requirement to verify ages for online sale of alcoholic drinks....