Gulu to restrict consumption of alcohol - official
Gulu District chairperson, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi displays some of the sachet waragi that will soon be banned, on Monday. PHOTO BY JAMES OWICH
What you need to know:
- Minister Onek said he suspects that some of the ingredients used for making such alcoholic drinks are chemicals used for making laundry soaps.
- He says the consuming large quantity of such waragi could cause infertility in men, questioning how the drinks are made before it is supplied to the market.
GULU- The new ordinance on sale, and consumption of sachet waragi, opening bars and drinking joints in Gulu District will soon change.
In a letter dated September 23, by the Attorney General addressed to the Gulu chief administrative officer, the district has been permitted to place restrictions on sale, consumption and time of opening bars.
Addressing the media in Gulu Town on Monday, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the district chairperson, said the ordinance will only allow the sale of waragi packed in quantity not less than 250ml.
“The time for opening up of bars and drinking joints will be restricted to 5:00pm and will not go beyond 1:00am,” he said.
Mr Mapenduzi said anyone found to have violated the regulation will pay a fine of Shs 40,000 or be sentenced to six months in jail.
“The aim of the ordinance is to address the current high rate of alcohol abuse that has led to low productivity especially among men,” Mr Mapenduzi said.
He explained that majority of able bodied men mostly spend lot of time at drinking joints instead of engaging in productive work which could enable them provide for their families.
The regulation will also restrict words used by alcohol manufacturers in advertising their products, sale of alcoholic drinks to underage children and quantity of the packed drinks.
In June this year, Eng Hillary Onek, the Minister in- Charge of Disaster Preparedness and Reliefs called on local governments in Acholi sub- region to enact an ordinance that will put a total ban on the consumption of waragi packed in sachet.
Causing infertility
The minister warned that consuming large quantity of such waragi could cause infertility in men, questioning how the drinks are made before it is supplied to the market.
Minister Onek said he suspects that some of the ingredients used for making such alcoholic drinks are chemicals used for making laundry soaps.
Religious and cultural leaders in the region over the years have been crying out to local governments to have a by-law in place that limits the sale and consumption of waragi among the locals.
