Overview:

According to Mr Mwebesa, UNBS officials are even certifying fake products, putting the lives of Ugandans at risk.

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Francis Mwebesa, has tasked the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), to walk the talk in eliminating substandard products on the market.

According to Mr Mwebesa, UNBS officials are even certifying fake products, putting the lives of Ugandans at risk.

The Minister made the remarking during the inauguration of the UNBS National Standards Council, at Serena Hotel in Kampala on Tuesday.

He also observed that its wrong to confiscate traders’ goods on account of being substandard when the actual manufacturers of the same goods are not touched.

He urged UNBS to go back to the source where the goods are manufactured, to verify whether they meet the set standards.

The Trade ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Geraldine Ssali, wondered why many substandard Chinese goods are flooding the market yet they are supervised by and cleared by UNBS.

Members of the National Standards Council during inauguration on Tuesday.

“I asked myself why.” You know, I am a practical person. When I got the opportunity during the selection of the UNBS new board, I visited many industries. Some were recipients of UNBS but many had something to contribute to it,” she noted.

 “They used to ask me, ‘Why don’t you get UNBS to do this! That is why we decided to have some of these people come and be decision-makers in the services they would like to see within UNBS,” Ms Ssali added.

The board members include Charles Musekura (chairperson of the board); Alfred Oyo Andima ( Ex-Official MTIC-Under Secretary); Dr. Aminah Zawedde (Ex-Official-Permanent Secretary Ministry of ICT) and Dr. Tom Okia Okurut (former National Environment Management Authority).

Others are Sarah Irene Kibuuka Walusimbi (Advocate); Robert Mwanje (Chairperson Grain Council); Eng. James Kabali Kalibala (Managing Director and proprietor Electoral Controls and Switchgear); Muhammed Omar (an advocate of the Supreme Court); and David Livingstone Ebiru (UNBS Executive Director/Secretary National Standards Council). 

“I urge you to learn the mandate of UNBS, so that you ably execute your roles which include approval of National Standards for implementation in Trade and the industry.” – Minister Mwebesa urged the National Standards Council.