By Prossy Kisakye
Parliament has granted Kasanda North MP Patrick Nsamba leave to re-introduce the National content bill 2022.
The bill seeks to promote the national policy of Buy Uganda Build Uganda which the government is currently promoting to protect local products from the foreign competition.
The National Local Content Bill was presented to the House in the 10th Parliament by Kassanda County North MP as a Private Member’s Bill, and later passed by the House on 20 May 2020.
However, on 18 August 2020, the Bill was returned to Parliament, after the President declined to assent to it, citing provisions that would put Uganda on a parallel course with the international community.
The President, among other items, cited section 4 of the Bill that tasks a local content entity to give preference to goods which are manufactured in Uganda as well as services which are provided by Ugandan entities.
The president noted that the Bill was in conflict with the East African Monetary Union.
Under Article 13 of the Customs Union Protocol, the EAC partner states agreed to remove all existing non-tariff barriers to trade and not to impose any new ones.
