A PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITISED TOBACCO CONTROL LEGISLATION IS

ALL WE NEED- Ugandas Tobacco Control Movement (UNHCO)

Daily Monitor, 15th July 2015 covered an article: Parliament warned on
Tobacco Control Bill; Ismail Musa Ladu. That Uganda Law Society (ULS) gave
counsel to the Health committee on the Tobacco control Bill, 2014.
The article reasoned that Health committee disregarded counsel of ULS,
which derails the debate insinuating that the Bill fails the legal test, I beg to
defer and I Implore Ugandans to read the committees report.
I attended all public hearings of the Health committee of parliament whose
report was read on the 9th of July to parliament, by the Health committee
Chairperson, Hon Bitekyerezo MP Mbarara Municipality, who has ever since
replaced, Hon Dr Keneth Omona appointed Deputy Treasurer NRM. As I
revisit this Article, Hon. Betekyerezo come 2016 shall not contest on the
NRM ticket having lost in the 2015 NRM primaries.
It must be acknowledged that the Bill is a Public health proposing law
drawing legality from article 39 of our Constitution- right to a clean and
healthy environment and the World Health Frame Work Convention on
Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) Uganda signed and ratified on 5th March
2004 and 20th June 2007 respectively. The WHO FCTC obliges partner states
to domesticate it within timelines, in which case Uganda ought to have in
2012, thanks to Hon. Chris Baryomunsi.
The Tobacco control Bill was first read on the 6th Of March 2014 by Hon.
Chris Bayromunsi (mover as he was then, Now Minister of Health- General
duties) who was replaced by Woman MP Shema, Hon. Rose Nyakikongoro.
On the 14th of July 2015: 4:24 PM or thereabout, Parliament constituted itself
into a committee to read the Bill for the second time.

Executive Director, UNHCO congratulating Ugandas President for the Bill Assent
To the health committee when I was in attendance, Uganda Human Rights
Commission, Ugandas lead Human rights institution declared that smoking
was not a Human right. Tobacco instead violates children rights and at
harvesting times fails children going to school and labour intensive on

women who weed, and the men reap financial benefits. The Tobacco
industry controls farmers by loaning them fertilizers, Tobacco seedlings and
as a result the farmers must sell to the Piper- Tobacco Industry on
predetermined Prices regardless of peak season which is always the case,
tobacco never loses market after all.
Tobacco is the only product known to cause dis- ease when consumed as
intended. The World Bank discredits the economic contribution of tobacco in
enabling countries to improve their economies; no wonder, Tobacco is not a
national priority crop- Ministry of Agriculture Animal industry and Fisheries.
The World Health Organisation reports Tobacco as the lead killer compared
to Malaria, HIV, TB, Boda Boda Accidents and Pneumonia all combined, not
to mention the accelerating preventable cancers globally.
The notion, Young persons must delay or not start has drawn age into the
Bill, 21 years and below are persons protected. Article 31(1) is interested in
the marriage rights, 18 years it is not a constitutional age, restraining law
makers. Parliament was persuaded to maintain 21 years to protect young
persons coupled with welfare principle. The public and or private must not
be given favourable conditions to smoke without being inconvenienced thus
the tobacco control Bill, 2015.
Legal gymnastics or economics cannot be exchanged for good health. The
Tobacco Control Bill was signed into law on the 19th of September by the
president of Uganda, this places a greater task on Ugandas Tobacco Control
Movement to implement and then have government institutions enforce the
law but awaiting them is gazzetment and commencement!
Mr. Talibita Moses is a Health rights lawyer