Inside Three Bills Recently Signed By President Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni is expected to be a busy man in the coming weeks as Parliament awaits his assent on dozens of recently passed Bills.

There are several Bills passed by Parliament under the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) policy. By the time Parliament completed the legislative work on the RAPEX policy in April, 12 agencies were to have their functions mainstreamed in mother ministries.

These agencies are; the National Records and Archives Agency; the Warehouse Receipt System; Trypanosomiasis Control Council; the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) Board; the National Population Council (NPC); the National Library of Uganda and the National Youth Council. Others are the National Council for Older Persons; the National Council for Persons with Disabilities; the National Council for Children; the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO and, the Higher Education Students Financing Board.

During the rationalisation process, Parliament saved a number of other agencies from losing their autonomous position with legislators insisting they better serve the interests of the country with functions independent of the sector Ministries. These include the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), the National Information and Technology Authority (NITA-U); the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS); the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA); the Dairy Development Authority (DDA) and, the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA).

First Bill signed

On Tuesday, May 14, 2024, State House confirmed that the President had signed the National Rerecords and Archives (Amendment) Bill, 2024 after it was passed by Parliament on February 27.

“The Presidential Press Unit (PPU) wishes to inform the general public that the President of the Republic of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has signed three (3) Bills into law,” State House announced on Tuesday via X.

Since its enactment in June 2001, the National Records and Archives Act was never operationalised as per the report of the House Committee on Public Service and Local Governments.

While presenting the report on the rationalisation Bill for the National Records and Archives Authority, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, Chairperson, Committee on Public Service and Local Governments, informed Parliament that Act was not serving its objectives.

“The functions of the Agency that were envisioned under the Act have been and continue to be carried out by the Ministry of Public Service. Therefore, the intention of the rationalisation of this Agency under the Bill and mainstreaming its functions into the Ministry is appropriate,” said Mapenduzi. 

The Act was enacted to provide for the rationalised management of all government and other public records and archives, for the preservation, utilization and disposal of such records and archives, and for other related matters. Now, the Ministry will officially take control of these functions.

Animal health laws

The President also assented to the Veterinary Practitioners Bill, 2023 and the Animal Feeds Bill, 2023. The Veterinary Practitioners Act, 2023 provides an institutional framework for regulation of veterinary practice by providing for the training, registration and licensing of veterinary professionals and veterinary para-professionals, among others. By coming into force, the new law had repealed and replaced the Veterinary Surgeons’ Act, Cap. 277 of 1958.

On the other hand, the Animal Feeds (Control) Act, 2023 was enacted to provide a legislative framework for the operationalization of the Animal Feeds Policy. In this law, the government wants to ensure that all persons who intend to produce, store, transport, and sell animal feed have first to be licensed.

One of the key offenses in the Veterinary Practitioners Act, 2023 is that of unlicensed veterinary officers who may cause harm on either an animal or to human beings through their illegal actions. Veterinary practitioners whose licenses are revoked but continue to practice and in the process cause death to animals or humans face a seven-year jail sentence or a fine of UGX 10 million, or both.

Also in this law is a penalty of UGX 5 million fine for a registered practitioner who is found culpable of professional misconduct.

Also under this Act, all private veterinary practitioners will have to register with the Veterinary Council which in turn will issue them with licenses while public practitioners will be exempted from being licensed.  The same law will regulate the veterinary services by providing for the training, registration, licensing of veterinary professionals and veterinary paraprofessionals.

On the other hand, the Animal Feeds (Control) Act has been enacted to have the producers, importers, exporters and dealers of animal feeds to ensure that whatever goes on the market meets the standards set by the National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).

It was the intention of the Government to have a law that deals with animal fees produced for commercial purposes and also regulate the production, manufacturing, importation, exportation, storage, transportation and sale of animal feeds. In this law, there will be the establishment of the Animal Committee and the offices of animal fees inspectors and analysts.

One of the offenses in the law is for producers of animal feeds without formal approval for storage facilities and the punishment on conviction is 6 years imprisonment. Also operating a storage, shop or processing plant for animal feeds without approval by the Animal Committee will be punishable with a fine not exceeding UGX 10 million or a jail term not exceeding 6 years or both.