Government given two weeks to return Sugar Bill

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | Parliament has given government two weeks to return the sugar bill 2016 to the house.

In 2018, Parliament passed the sugar bill 2016 excluding zoning, which would allow sugar millers to set up factories and buy cane from out growers without any restrictions.

However, president, Yoweri Museveni declined to ascent to the bill arguing that the absence of zoning in the proposed law would hurt the sugar industry.

The Sugar Bill is meant to ensure that there is a sustainable, diversified, harmonized, modern and competitive sugar sector to meet domestic, regional and International sugar requirements.

However, MPs objected to the proposed zoning, saying it would expose out growers to exploitation.

Government took the bill in April this year for scrutiny with promises of returning it to parliament within a month’s time in vain.

Yesterday, Fred Tumuheirwe Turyamuhweza, the Rujumbura County MP, said government had gone silent on the bill yet several farmers are suffering exploitation.

In his response, David Bahati, the Finance State Minister in Charge of Planning, said they needed to do further consultations on the bill, which needed a maximum of one more month to return the bill.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga said the situation is really grave with many farmers living in uncertainty and inability to export and sell their cane. She noted that parliament cannot grant a whole one month again.

******

URN