MP Elagu confused over consistent manufacturing, transporting beer yet bars still closed

By Francis Lubega

21^st April 2021

The Kaberamaido County Member of Parliament, Veronica Elagu has tasked the government to explain its consistent closure of bars yet beer companies are manufacturing and transporting the products across the country.

She says that the continued operation of beer companies contradicts the policies put in place by Ministry of Health to contain the spread of Covid-19 because the ongoing beer supply has given bar owner’s leeway to open up their facilities back doors.

Elagu made the remarks in a meeting with Parliament’s National Economy Committee and Ministry of Health that is seeking for USD12.5Million approximately Shs45.057bn loan to fund Covid-19 activities from the World Bank.

However, Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng says even thought the World Health Organization- WHO recommends drinking of alcohol, it’s not  Government’s responsibility to police health of Ugandans because health is an individual responsibility.

In his last week’s televised Nation address, President Yoweri Museveni demanded that the entertainment industry like bars, discos and concerts where alcohol is mostly consumed in Uganda, will remain closed in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 amid the discovery of new variants.