Two senior pastors have proposed that the time for opening bars be limited at 4pm.
This was during a meeting with the Department of Legislative and Procedural Services together with various stakeholders regarding the proposed Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill that among others seeks to prohibit the sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks in the country.
On November 8, 2022, the House granted leave of Parliament to Tororo Woman MP Sarah Opendi to table this private member’s Bill.
Among others, the bill also seeks to regulate the promotion and advertisement of alcoholic drinks.
According to Parliament communications department, “Pastor Julius Oyet proposed that the time for sale and consumption of alcohol should be from 4pm to 10pm.”
The Bill proposes noon to 6am.
And Pastor Joseph Sserwadda of Victory Christian Church Ministries suggested that the time should be from 4pm to midnight.
In November last year, Opendi introduced the Alcohol Control Bill that seeks to regulate drinking.
The Private Member’s 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.
Opendi was concerned that the harmful use of alcoholic drinks causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences like domestic violence that often results in harm to people.
She said that the Bill will comprehensively address the regulation of the manufacture and importation, sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks.
She also wanted the law to regulate the promotion and advertisement of alcoholic drinks as well as the treatment and rehabilitation of persons affected by alcoholic drinks among others.
“The current legislation have their weaknesses and we need stringent measures or penalties to control the consumption of alcohol and also its production in the country,” Opendi said.
Opendi then added that although they cannot stop people from drinking alcohol, the government can regulate it the drinking hours.
Terego District Woman MP, Hon. Rose Obiga recounted the devastating effects of unregulated consumption of alcohol citing ‘City 5’, a local potent gin produced by City 5 Distillers in Arua City that killed at least 15 people in August this year.
“Recently, we lost a big number of our people; I would like to allude to the fact that many heavy alcohol consumers do not take care of their families. It is a major source of domestic violence, failure to pay school fees, take care of their children and wives,” she said then.
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