A Critical Analysis Of Consumer Protection Laws In Uganda

ABSTRACT

This thesis entitled "A critical analysis of consumer protection laws in Uganda". It's majorly

to focus on the Contract Act 2010, Sale of Goods Act Cap 82, and Uganda National Bureau of

Standards Act Cap 327 and briefly refer to the National Drug Policy and Authority Act Cap

206 and the Foods and Drugs Act Cap 278. This Dissertation attempts to analyze and

determine how these legislations have assumed the effective implementation of consumer

protection and also how they have failed to assume such protection due to weakness some

provisions since most of these laws were adopted from foreign laws which do not properly

suit the social, economical and political problems of consumers.

In will trace the genesis of the contract and sale of goods laws from the Continental Europe

and how they were adopted in Uganda and then the rationale behind the enactment of the

Uganda National Bureau of Standards Act. I will tackle the impact of the stated laws on to the

consumers in consideration of their ignorance, poverty and illiteracy. Further, I will discuss

how the sanctions or penalties established under the aforementioned laws work upon the

unscrupulous traders and the middle men, and how such penalties or sanctions are being

abused by such business men, therefore this thesis establishes a critical analysis of the

aforementioned consumer protection under laws by both theoretical means and legal research

methods.

In conclusion therefore, I would actually recommend the enactment of a single and specific legislation called "Consumer protection and Management Act" which could assume the effective protection of all consumer matters and not referring to the variety of laws, which tend to cause complexity more especially to illiterates, ignorant and poor consumers. This Act will further provide for the effective management of consumers' affairs or rights, meaning, an unambiguous procedure of lodging consumer complaints to such established body which is created by this Act and with its main aim of catering for consumers problems.