Councillors voted unanimously to continue implementing the ordinance to protect the health of their electorate in an extra Ordinary council meeting attended by the Ministry officials on Monday.
The Gulu District Alcohol Control ordinance regulates the manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of alcohol in Gulu district. It also restricts time for opening of bars to between 5pm and 1 am. It also requires that the alcohol should be packaged in glass not less than 250 millilitres.
During the meeting, Richard Okot Okello, an Assistant Commissioner in the Trade and Industry told the council that the ordinance is subject to the World Trade Organisation regulations since it regulates packaging.
He told council that the ordinance creates technical barriers to trade with regional and international blocs including the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for East and Central Africa (COMESA) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
He argued that unless revoked, Uganda risk being sued by member countries at the dispute settlement system of the World Trade Organization for failing to notify members of the coming trade barrier.
"Article 2 and 3 of the World Trade Organization (WTO) treaty requires all member countries to notify other World Trade Organization Members in due time of any technical barrier to trade. Uganda has not done this in the course of enacting this ordinance", Okello said.
Okello also argued that the ordinance could also lead to the withdrawal of trade concessions with Uganda, something he described as unhealthy for the country's economy. He asked Gulu district to go slow on the implementation of the ordinance as Uganda develops a nationwide approach to the problem of alcoholism by September.
However, none of the councilors supported his proposal. Simon Peter Oola, the Gulu LC V Vice Chairperson, said it was wrong for the Ministry to attempt to stay the implementation of the ordinance since it only affects locally manufactured gins.
He says World Trade Organization member countries can continue to trade normally with Uganda as imported gins are not affected by the ordinance. Martin Mapenduzi Ojara, the Gulu LC V chairperson, says the district complied with all procedures and consulted other stakeholders before enacting the ordinance.
He says staying the implementation of the alcohol ordinance will set a bad precedence. He also said it would be selective justice to stay the implementation of the ordinance after impounding 307 cartons of alcoholic gins from some traders.
The council meeting attracted several members of civil society organizations, religious and cultural leaders who contributed to the enactment of the ordinance. Members of the public in the gallery occasionally flashed placards with various messages including "Long Live Gulu Leaders", "Health before Profit", "Stop Sachets Now. No Delays", "Leaders Keep Your Promise" and No Sachets Waragi amongst others.
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