The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, says the August House is set to reconsider the amendments of Tobacco Control Act, 2015 for provisions to control and demand for consumption of tobacco and its products.
Kadaga was responding to remarks by Rob Kelsall, the Director, Nilus Group Company that the Act does not allow them to deal directly with farmers.
She vowed to follow up the amendment when Jinja East MP Paul Mwiru tables Private Members Bill to review this Act. This law was very contentious.
“As Parliament, there are areas that we did not consult on fully and hope we shall rectify that clause that do not allow you to talk to farmers,” she said at the opening of a new tobacco factory in Masese, Jinja.
Mwiru said as parliament passed the act, it mainly concentrated on the use and abuse of tobacco, rather than export, “The bill was largely looking at the health issues. “With the help of the tobacco industry, I will present a Private Members Bill to amend the highlighted issues that have been raised here. We shall work hand in hand with the stakeholders to improve on the bill,” he added.
Kelsall remarked that, the challenge with the tobacco industry is the misinterpretation of the act to the effect that tobacco companies were not to be in contact with the farmers.
He said the act states that the company cannot be in communication with farmers, which means that they cannot provide inputs and training to the farmers.
“How then are we going to expand to other areas? The industry had improved the welfare and livelihoods of farmers,”