UgandAshis 75 Uganda's Booze Bill

UgandAshis 75 Uganda’s Boozing Bill

To say Ugandans like their alcohol is to put it mildly. In 2004 the World Health Organization ranked Uganda as the leading consumer of alcohol in the world. In a recent school survey by Victory Rehabilitation Centre 71% of urban secondary school students drink alcohol. When you leave my house and walk along Ggaba road you will see a string of bars miles long and most are full at any given time in the week and weekend.
The government has shocked with the potential Bill to limit drinking of alcohol in public from 5.00 pm to 10.00 pm. Afterwards all bars need to be closed. I understand the government’s concern for alcohol related problems; crime, violence, broken families, rapes and destroyed livers. Yet it does not have a good track record of keeping its own harsh benchmarks: seat belts, helmets for boda bodas and so forth. It seems the Born Again section in parliament has not only highjacked the Gay Bill but the Alcohol Bill as well.
What I hear on the street is simple: politicians are amongst the heaviest drinkers, let them mind their own business - Ugandans will drink late. My boda boda had a good one; It will never happen in this country even if they pass the law. And I hear prostitutes are going to stage a strike as this seriously affects their livelihood. In the 1930’s the USA went dry and as a consequence: mafia and more drunks. History let’s learn.

Namaskar

Ashis Brahma