Government passes tobacco control bill

By Alice Lubwama

Parliament has passed the Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill, 2020 scrapping taxation on processed tobacco restricting it on the unprocessed leaf for export.

The Vice Chairperson of the finance Committee also Packwach District Woman Representative Jane Pacuto in his report to Parliament said that the tax measures are meant to restrict the export of raw tobacco leave by foreign companies that process it in neighboring countries and later bring it back to Uganda for sale.

She argues that levying tax on unprocessed leaves will create more employment for the local farmers and also generate revenue for the country of about 20 Billion shillings.