Members of parliament and civil society are in procession preparation to jubilate the assent on the Tobacco control bill 2014. This as reports show that the president ascented to the ACT which bans smoking in public and selling one stick of cigarette to smokers.

The shadow Minister for Health Dr. Micheal Lulume Bayiga said that MPs and civil society are going to have peaceful demonstrations cleared by police to show public that there is a law against smoking. He commended the president for assenting on the Tobacco control, noting that this law will reduce on tobacco related illness.

The Member of Parliament for Butambala district Mariam Nalubega  who was instrumental in calling for banning of tobacco from the country said that in future , there should be an amendment on this law to totally ban it because its hazardous to the health.

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Members of Parliament are divided over a clause in the Tobacco control bill 2014 seeking to force a smoker to buy a whole packet of cigarette as a deterrent for youth not to smoke. A number of MPS while at a meeting  organized by Uganda National Health Users’/Consumers’ Organization at Serena Hotel in Kampala some say they want a law imposing a restriction on the sale of a stick of cigarette so as youth and low earning people are not exposed to high consumption of tobacco products which are harmful to their health.

Kalungu West MP Joseph Ganzaga Sewungu said that people should be given their rights to buy one stick. The woman MP for Bundibugyo  district, Harriet Ntabazi,  opposed  the idea  of selling one stick of cigarette because it  compromises the health of Ugandan who cannot in future  get required treatment fees for tobacco related diseases.

The shadow Minister for health Dr. Lulume Bayiga said that the Tobacco control bill 2014 is also intended to protect children from exposure to tobacco products which can damage children tissues at an early age.

The Tobacco control bill seeks to have a clause barring youth below 21 years from smoking. The Manager of the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA) Dr. Prosy Mugyenyi said that the label of graphics on tobacco products must have health warnings, visible and scaring all those who smoke in public, informing its citizens about the deadly consequences of tobacco use.

On another note the Technical Advisor on the occupational safety and Health standards in the ministry of Gender, labour and social Development Dr. Deogratious Sekimpi says that the new Tobacco control bill which is before parliament will be fully implemented to catch the smokers who abuse other people’s right of living in a free tobacco zone. He said that the new law will be a voice for the non-smoking people against smokers.

The debate on the Tobacco control bill 2014 is expected to start today in parliament.

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The Committee further recommends that the Director General health Services shall head the Tobacco control Committee comprising of 9 members and will be mandated to see that the law is put to use in order to save the lives of Ugandans who are non-smokers.

The mover of this private member’s, Bill who is the Shema Woman MP Rose Nyakikogoro, called on members to overwhelmingly support the bill into an Act saying Tobacco has engaged the young generation in doing all the work during Tobacco growing seasons and have missed out on Education.

She said there is need for Parliament to look at Health issues that are affecting the generation as one way of controlling it.

The Tobacco control Bill 2014 seeks to protect the right to health and the right to life as fundamental human rights.

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