The Uganda Police Force has asked Parliament to set a time limit within which bars should operate and impose higher taxes on bars so as to control their establishments in the country.
The proposal was made by James Ocaya, Deputy Inspector General of Police, on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, while appearing before Parliament’s Joint Committee of Health and Trade to submit the Force’s views on the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill 2023, which was tabled in August 2023 by Tororo Woman, Member of Parliament Sarah Opendi.
Ocaya supported the proposal, adding that it would encourage the consumption of alcohol at home and control their establishments in the country.
The Deputy IGP further asked Parliament to include a provision in the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill to ban entry of persons with fire arms and dangerous weapons in bars and give bar operators powers to expel violent customers that may harm other customers in bars.
“Create a clause to provide for the prohibition of violence in drinking, while at the same time prohibiting violent conduct by customers and admission of arms and other dangerous weapons in public drinking places,” Ocaya explained.
The police welcomed the enactment of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, arguing that the legislation will be critical to reducing crimes that are perpetrated by alcoholism.
In clause 14 of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, Opendi proposed to have alcohol sold in Uganda between 5:00 p.m. and 10 p.m. on working days and between 12:00 noon and 12:00 a.m. on public holidays and weekends, although this shall not apply to a person who sells an alcoholic drink in a licensed tourist camp, nightclub, theatre, fete, bezaar, or trade show.
