Kyambadde to crack down on fake products
May 31, 2011
THE newly-appointed minister for trade and industry, Amelia Kyambadde, has vowed to crack down on counterfeit products in the country by ensuring that the counterfeit Bill comes into law.
By Jeff Lule
and Abou Kisige
THE newly-appointed minister for trade and industry, Amelia Kyambadde, has vowed to crack down on counterfeit products in the country by ensuring that the counterfeit Bill comes into law.
“I intend to use my new mandate to help Government in enacting tougher laws against counterfeit goods that may see the merchandise destroyed and the owners given a jail sentence,†Kyambadde warned.
The Counterfeit Goods Bill 2007 which is now before Parliament prescribes among others penalties, that a person found guilty of dealing in, distributing or manufacturing counterfeit products be jailed for three years or pay a fine of sh50m.
Speaking after a thanksgiving mass at St Joseph’s catholic parish in Mpigi district, Kyambadde stressed that top on her agenda is the protection of local consumers.
During the thanksgiving mass, Bishop Jackson Matovu of the central Buganda diocese and Rev. Fr. Herbert Ggenza of Joseph’s catholic parish blessed Kyambadde and asked her to legislate policies aimed at transforming lives of the poor people.
“We shall crack down the vice because we must safeguard consumers’ rights and life,†Kyambadde said.
In the recent past the Executive director Dr. Terry Kahuma has cited a number of challenges hampering efforts to fight fake products in the country among which is the standards agency incapacity to effectively weed counterfeit products out of the country.
She explained that after the bill is passed culprits will be ordered by court to reveal the source of the counterfeit goods, identity the persons involved in manufacturing, importation or exportation of such goods.
Kyambadde who was speaking publicly for the first time since her appointment said she was surprised and never expected it.
“But with a master’s degree in business administration I believe I will handle the president’s task of transforming the trade and industry sector in the country. It is time for renaissance,†Kyambadde said.
She urged fellow leaders mostly those in the ruling NRM government to refocus their thinking by avoiding sectarianism and corruption tendencies during service delivery.
She promised to streamline the sector through ensuring that industrialists both small and medium enterprises benefit from government incentives. Kyambadde said this is the time for local investors to also access tax holidays and exemptions.
He adds that besides the absence of a strong punitive law for the offenders, UNBS lacked enough manpower as well as storage capacity for confiscated goods.
and Abou Kisige
THE newly-appointed minister for trade and industry, Amelia Kyambadde, has vowed to crack down on counterfeit products in the country by ensuring that the counterfeit Bill comes into law.
“I intend to use my new mandate to help Government in enacting tougher laws against counterfeit goods that may see the merchandise destroyed and the owners given a jail sentence,†Kyambadde warned.
The Counterfeit Goods Bill 2007 which is now before Parliament prescribes among others penalties, that a person found guilty of dealing in, distributing or manufacturing counterfeit products be jailed for three years or pay a fine of sh50m.
Speaking after a thanksgiving mass at St Joseph’s catholic parish in Mpigi district, Kyambadde stressed that top on her agenda is the protection of local consumers.
During the thanksgiving mass, Bishop Jackson Matovu of the central Buganda diocese and Rev. Fr. Herbert Ggenza of Joseph’s catholic parish blessed Kyambadde and asked her to legislate policies aimed at transforming lives of the poor people.
“We shall crack down the vice because we must safeguard consumers’ rights and life,†Kyambadde said.
In the recent past the Executive director Dr. Terry Kahuma has cited a number of challenges hampering efforts to fight fake products in the country among which is the standards agency incapacity to effectively weed counterfeit products out of the country.
She explained that after the bill is passed culprits will be ordered by court to reveal the source of the counterfeit goods, identity the persons involved in manufacturing, importation or exportation of such goods.
Kyambadde who was speaking publicly for the first time since her appointment said she was surprised and never expected it.
“But with a master’s degree in business administration I believe I will handle the president’s task of transforming the trade and industry sector in the country. It is time for renaissance,†Kyambadde said.
She urged fellow leaders mostly those in the ruling NRM government to refocus their thinking by avoiding sectarianism and corruption tendencies during service delivery.
She promised to streamline the sector through ensuring that industrialists both small and medium enterprises benefit from government incentives. Kyambadde said this is the time for local investors to also access tax holidays and exemptions.
He adds that besides the absence of a strong punitive law for the offenders, UNBS lacked enough manpower as well as storage capacity for confiscated goods.