By Moses Andama
www.mknewslink.com
In Masindi—-
Masindi District is seeking to tighten control over alcohol consumption after years of failing to enforce a local ordinance designed to restrict drinking hours and protect children from the alcohol trade.
The district passed the alcohol ordinance in 2020 after concerns over excessive drinking, declining productivity and the involvement of children in bars and other alcohol-related activities.
However, five years on, local leaders acknowledge that the ordinance has not been effectively enforced, with officials citing challenges including inadequate resources, limited public sensitization and the need for approval from relevant authorities.
The stalled ordinance has now gained renewed attention following a directive by the Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, on the opening hours of bars.
William Mwambu, the district councilor representing Persons with Disabilities and secretary for social services, said the district introduced the ordinance after observing the effects of excessive alcohol consumption on families and community productivity.
“We had many residents spending a lot of time in bars, while children were also getting involved in bar activities, including employment,” Mwambu said.
He said the ordinance was intended to encourage residents to spend more time on productive activities while protecting children from exposure to alcohol.
Under the 2020 ordinance, bars were supposed to operate from 5pm to 10pm on working days and from 2pm to 10pm on weekends. The ordinance also prohibited the sale of alcohol to children and their involvement in selling alcohol.
Violators could face penalties including cancellation of their trading licences, imprisonment for up to six months and fines prescribed under the ordinance.
Mwambu, however, said implementation was complicated by the fact that the ordinance had to go through the relevant approval processes.
“The by-law was submitted to the Ministry of Local Government and the Attorney General for assent, but we have not received a response,” he said.
He said the district is now prepared to work with security agencies to enforce the minister’s directive and plans to meet with the Resident District Commissioner and other security officials to agree on how it will be implemented.
“We shall meet with the security team, including the RDC, on how to implement the directive. Bar operators should not open before 3pm because their licences can be revoked,” Mwambu said.
Lack of resources
Moris Ogeny, the executive director of Alpha Action for Social Economic Development (AASED), said the failure to enforce the district ordinance was partly caused by inadequate funding and resources.
He also attributed the lack of implementation to limited public awareness and potential conflicts of interest among some officials expected to enforce the regulations.
“Passing an ordinance is not enough. The district needs to budget for its implementation, sensitise the community and ensure that the people responsible for enforcement are able to do their work,” Ogeny said.
He warned that without resources and clear enforcement mechanisms, the latest directive could face the same challenges that affected the 2020 ordinance.
Ogeny called for stronger collaboration between local leaders, security agencies and communities to ensure that restrictions on alcohol sales are understood and enforced.
Alcohol and livelihoods.
Some residents, however, question whether strict controls on alcohol businesses can easily be enforced given the cultural and economic role alcohol plays in communities.
Rogers Kanti, a resident, said alcohol has long been part of Ugandan social and cultural practices, including traditional ceremonies.
“Alcohol has existed in our communities for decades, and it is also used during traditional functions. That makes regulation difficult if people are not sensitised and enforcement is not consistent,” Kanti said.
He also argued that the government earns significant revenue from the alcohol industry, making regulation a complicated issue.
Kanti said previous attempts to regulate drinking had struggled because laws and directives were sometimes passed without sufficient enforcement.
He urged members of the public to exercise responsibility rather than waiting for enforcement officers to control their drinking habits.
Police await guidelines
Police in the Albertine North region say they are ready to enforce the new directive once formal operational guidelines are issued.
Solomon Mugisa, the Albertine North Regional Community Liaison Officer and acting regional police spokesperson, said police had not yet received instructions from the Inspector General of Police on enforcement.
“As police, we have not received a directive from the Inspector General of Police to implement it. If we receive the guidelines, we shall implement the minister’s directive,” Mugisa said.
He urged residents to avoid excessive drinking, particularly during morning hours, saying alcohol abuse can affect household welfare and productivity.
“People should drink responsibly and avoid spending productive hours drinking,” he said.
The district’s renewed focus on alcohol regulation comes against the background of earlier evidence of widespread alcohol use in Masindi. A 2022 district report cited research showing that some alcohol sale points were operating for extended hours and that a significant proportion of respondents had started drinking before the age of 18.
For Masindi, the challenge now is not simply passing another regulation, but ensuring that the existing rules are understood, funded and consistently enforced.
The coming weeks will therefore test whether the district can turn years of alcohol-control plans into actual enforcement on the ground.