By Ibrahim Kasita

MEMBERS of Parliament have called for tough laws to protect consumers and manufactures against adulterated cement.

The legislators on the parliamentary committee on science and technology were on a fact-finding tour of the Kasese-based Hima Cement plant recently.

The MPs pledged to support strong laws against adulteration to wipe out the vice.

“We must ensure that laws against adulteration are enforced to protect cement consumers and makers,” said Charles Ngabirano, the Member of Parliament Rwampara County in Mbarara.

“We will continue to work with Hima and other cement producers, the Police, the standards agency and sector ministries to ensure the vice is stopped.”

Ngabirano expressed concern over the vice, saying it had led to loss of lives and promoted unfair competition.

“While cement manufacturers like Hima are producing quality products, we have unscrupulous people who produce sub-standard cement.

“Those producing substandard cement must be identified and punished to protect the sector,” he said.

Uganda’s construction industry has grown fast in recent years and so has the demand for construction materials. This has led greedy people to start mixing cement with other substances to get quick money.