Authorities in Agago District, Northern Uganda have said a by-law slapping a total ban on the consumption of alcohol packed in sachets locally known as waragi has shown tremendous results.
The timely disappearance of sachet waragi comes at a time when there are increased cases of suicide and deaths in the sub-region attributed to excessive consumption of alcohol.
This follows a fortnight’s district council meeting which resolved to give the transportation and selling of sachet waragi an ultimatum of 14 days to clear all their stocks or be jailed.
“The level of alcohol consumption in the district is reducing because any trader or shopkeeper we catch with waragi faces the law,” the Resident District Commissioner, Mr Charles Ray Okwir said.
One of the shopkeepers in Kalongo Town Council, who preferred anonymity, told told TheUgandan that he was losing a lot of revenue in sales but would not restock waragi once his old hoard is over for fear of being netted by law enforcement officers.
Two years ago, a petition signed by more than 10,000 residents demanded that the district authorities should formulate an ordinance that makes it illegal to sell and consume waragi packed in sachets.
It is widely believed that the sachet waragi might be added with some with chemicals used for making soap that might be dangerous to the lives of the consumers.
Brands like Big5, Crane Waragi and Chief Waragi are the most popular in Agago District, reports Willbroad Onencan
