Ban On Plastic Carriers Bags In Uganda Still Ongoing

National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) insists that the ban on polythene bag popularly known as kaveera is still on. This trashes reports released yesterday that the ban on kaveera was halted.  NEMA released an official statement as below;

“The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) wishes to inform the general public that the current ban on plastic carrier bags (also known as KAVEERA) is still in enforcement as stipulated in The Finance Act, 2009 and The Finance (Permitted Plastic Bags and Other Plastics for Exceptional Use), Regulations, 2010.

We therefore wish to caution the public that the contrasting information that the ban was lifted is not true.

In light of this, NEMA calls upon all Ugandans to continue supporting and abiding to the ban on Kaveera in accordance with The Finance Act, 2009 and The Finance (Permitted Plastic Bags and Other Plastics for Exceptional Use), Regulations, 2010.

NEMA also encourages the public to continue embracing alternatives and calls upon the retailers and wholesalers who are still issuing the Kaveera to willfully handover the consignments to NEMA to ensure self-compliance,” Management.Ban On Kaveera Still Ongoing

Yesterday it was reported that the cabinet had agreed to lift kaveera ban but late Information Minister Jim Muhwezi released an official statement as below;

“Cabinet directed Minister of Water and Environment to instruct NEMA to continue implementation of the ban of plastic bags of 30 microns and below until cabinet provided guidance on how to handle other plastic materials” – Hon. Jim K. Muhwezi, Minister for Information and National Guidance, 18th June 2015.Jim Muhwezi