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Religious leaders have weighed in on the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, 2023, saying the proposed penalties of jailing and fining alcoholics are not corrective measures.

They are proposing proper rehabilitation of offenders as a corrective measure. 

The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) leaders on Monday, March 4, 2024, engaged with Parliament committees chaired by vice-chairperson Trade Committee Catherine Lamwaka (Omoro District Woman MP, NRM), and Samuel Opio Acuti (MP Kole North), vice chairperson of the health committee, to discuss the Alcoholic Control Bill, 2023.

The Bill introduced to Parliament last year by Sarah Opendi (Tororo District Woman, Indep) aims to regulate the manufacture, sale, and consumption of alcoholic drinks, including prohibiting the sale of such drinks to children.

One contentious issue raised during the discussion was the severity of the punishments and fines outlined in the bill, which range from two to 10 years of imprisonment and fines ranging from shillings four million to shillings 20 million, depending on the offence.

IRCU co-chair Apostle Joseph Serwadda, who is also chairperson of the IRCU alcoholic drinks sub-committee, raised concerns, saying: “The penalties seem to be more punitive than corrective in nature, especially with respect to the term of imprisonment and fines proposed."

He emphasised the need for corrective and reformatory measures to promote reformation, rehabilitation, deterrence, and restitution, such as the necessity for a rehabilitation fund handled by the health ministry, where he urged all manufacturers and distributors of alcoholic drinks to contribute.

“It's been observed that the responsibility for rehabilitating those affected by alcoholism has largely fallen on the shoulders of the state, private entities, as well as religious, cultural, and civil society organisations (CSOs), with little direct contribution from alcohol manufacturers and distributors,” Serwadda said.

Restriction of sales to security personnel

He noted that Section 20 of the Bill restricts the sale of alcohol to law enforcement officers in uniform. However, he was of the opinion that alcohol sales should be restricted to non-uniformed officers, armed personnel, pregnant women, civil servants, already intoxicated persons, and children under the age of 21.

Serwadda, however, said IRCU recommends punitive regulations that restrict alcohol consumption during working hours. They proposed that a timeframe be extended to midnight rather than the 10:00pm mentioned in the Bill.

“For a typical Ugandan with a hard head, five hours of sleep are enough for them to work the next day,” Serwadda said.

Moral issue

Andrew Lugoloobi, a board member of IRCU, said addressing alcoholism should be approached as a moral issue rather than merely a legal one, advocating for Parliament to prioritise mandatory awareness, rehabilitation, and socio-economic empowerment programmes to combat alcohol consumption and abuse.

“Prisons are already congested. So, it is adding more burden to them by sending more prisoners,” Lugoloobi said.

Despite these reservations, the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) clarified that they are not opposed to the Bill. They believe that once these recommendations are incorporated, the Bill will effectively tackle the challenges associated with alcoholism.

Miriam Mukhaye, the Woman MP of Mbale District, voiced her support alongside several other MPs, commending the recommendations presented by IRCU.

She expressed confidence in the workability of these suggestions, acknowledging their potential effectiveness in addressing the challenges associated with alcoholism.

Change Bill's name

Last month, alcohol manufacturers in Uganda expressed reservations about the Bill, saying it was "diversionary" and "regressive".

The Chairperson of the Uganda Alcohol Industry Association (UAIA), Francis Onapito Ekomoloit, said the Bill would only be relevant if it targeted 65 per cent of illicit and unlicensed alcohol in the market. He proposed that the title of the Bill be changed to ‘Illicit Alcoholic Control Bill.’

Ekomoloit said the bill in its current state is an attack on people's freedom to socialise, an attack on farmers, and an attack on the Treasury.

Last week, artistes and comedians also asked Parliament to reject the bill, warning that any attempt to impose a time limit within which alcohol is sold in entertainment places will cripple Uganda’s night economy.