Address more pressing concerns before alcohol, bar owners tell parliament

A section of farmers and bar owners have asked Parliament to focus on addressing more pressing issues in the country like unemployment and corruption,  instead of dealing with the symptoms.

They were appearing before Parliament's Committees on Health and Trade that are scrutinizing the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, 2023 on February 29. 

The Bill seeks to limit the hours of sale of alcohol by bar establishments to between 5pm and 10pm on weekdays.  It also establishes stringent licensing and location requirements, where a bar or production plant should not be located anywhere within 400m of a school, fuel station, and residential areas.

The additional regulation, the stakeholders say, is not the most urgent concern the country needs, arguing further that the bill will have potential adverse effects  on the economy, jobs and the social fabric if enacted. 

Legit Entertainment, Bars and Restaurant Owners’ Association which brings together over 2,400 owners of bars and entertainment outlets across the country in their statement say: “We implore parliament before this bill is passed and enacted into law to exploit the push factors that drive Ugandans to excessive drinking of alcohol. We cannot ‘’burry our heads in sand’’ by simply passing a law that will harm the livelihoods of millions of people without addressing these factors,”

“We have enough problems, let people be,” Ms Phina Mugerwa, General Secretary, Uganda Musicians Association said.

If a cap should be instituted, bar owners proposed that the bill should permit 14 hours of operations from 2pm to 4am.

“This will allow the bars and restaurants maintain their capital contribution to the national economic basket and more importantly to the workforce,” a bar owners said.

The bill, sponsored by Tororo Woman MP, Ms Sarah Opendi, poses a delicate balance between benefits to the economy and adverse dangers of alcohol consumption.

The alcohol sector, according to the Private Sector Foundation contributes four of the top 20 taxpayers from the sub sector. 

Mr Henry Mugara Musinguzi, the Chairperson of the Barley Farmers Association in Kabale District told Parliament that further regulation on the industry will leave suppliers of raw materials with no source of income.

“We supply sorghum, barley, maize and cassava. The proposed bill, in its current form, poses significant threats to our way of life and the economic stability of the farming community at large,” he said. 

He added: “The industry is engaging over 53,750 grain farmers which accounts for 7% of the direct employment in the industry with 322,500 livelihoods supported, …limited hours of operation for grain farmers means  potential decrease in demand for grains and other raw materials used in the production of alcoholic beverage,”

But proponents argue that unstreamlined drinking has exposed the country’s young population to addiction, wasting away their productive years. Other concerns include health complications especially non communicable diseases like cancer born as a result of alcohol consumption.

Early this month, experts from the Uganda Cancer Institute listed alcohol among the top seven causes of cancer.    

Uganda Alcohol Industry Association (UAIA) representatives asked Parliament to instead consider addressing the problem of illicit alcohol which are increasingly being commercialised without being subjected to production standards or payment of taxes.

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