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This happened during a stakeholder meeting that happened at Parliament with a draft of the bill.
The Uganda Alcohol Industry Association chairperson, Francis Onopito Ekomoloit said the bill is unfair. This is because it only targets 35% of the illicit and unlicensed alcohol on the market.
He said for the bill to be relevant, it should target the 65% of illicit and unlicensed alcohol on the market. He also suggested that the title of this bill be changed to ‘Illicit Alcohol Control Bill’.
“This bill as it is, would be diversionary because we are just 35% of the alcohol consumed in Uganda and we are the ones on the radar. The other people are not on the radar. So if you put all of us on the radar, and you are trying to shoot, you are likely to shoot even the target you didn’t intend,” Francis said.
He, therefore, said parliament should shift its focus onto the illicit and unlicensed alcohol that makes up the other 65%.
“You must focus the radar on the unlicensed, uncontrolled, unregulated, untaxed, illicit, illegal, poisonous, dangerous 65%. Instead of having a law that lumps the good and the bad,” he added.
Onopito also said the bill is attacking the freedom of people to socialize and an attack on farmers and also the treasury.
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