Following a petition filed by BAT Uganda seeking a temporary injunction on the implementation of tobacco control act 2015, the Constitutional Court has dismissed the application saying that the injunction has no justifiable grounds. The ruling was made on May 18, 2017, a day before the TC Act fully becomes operational.
The Act Tobacco Control Act 2015 came into force on May 19, 2016, exactly six months after the president assented to it. Article 47 of the Act provides for a transitional period of one year for the Tobacco Industry to comply with the requirements of the Act, which period has effectively ended. The TI in this bracket include; Manufactures, suppliers, retailers, exporters, and importers of tobacco.
According to Dr. Sheila Ndyanabangi, the Tobacco Control Focal Person at the Ministry of Health, the time is now for all government departments, line ministries and partners to prioritize tobacco control on their development agenda. She called on all the enforcers to enforce the law without fear or favor adding that the law is now fully operational.
Addressing a press conference in Kampala today, Dr. Ndanabangi hailed the panel of judges for their objectivity, adding that the Tobacco Control law is not just constitutional but is also God’s law aimed at protecting Ugandans from the devastating effects of tobacco use. She was hopeful that the petition challenging the constitutionality of the law will also be dismissed. Court yesterday received submissions from the Petitioner, BAT, 1st respondent, the Attorney General and the 2nd Respondent, CEHURD on behalf of CSOs and TC partners.