E-Commerce and Consumer Protection in Uganda a Case Study of Kampala

TABLE OF CONTENTS

· DECLARATION ...................................................... : ...................................................... (I)

APPROVAL .................................................................................................................. (II)

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................... (Ill)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................ (IV)

LIST OF STATUTES .................................................................................... (V)

LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................. (VI)

LIST OF CASES ........................................................................................... (VII)

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. (VIII)

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. (xv)

CHAPTER ONE. ........................................................................................................... (1)

1.0. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... (1)

1.0.1 DEFINITION OF A CONSUMER AND E-COMMERCE ........................ : ............ (1)

1.0.2 BACKGROUND OF E-COMMERCE IN Uganda ................................................. (1)

1.0.2.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF E-COMMERCE IN UGANDA. .................... (2)

1.0.2.2 THE BIRTH OF E-CONSUMERS IN UGANDA. ............................................ (3)

1.1 E-COMMERCE IN UGANDA. .......................................................................... (5)

VIII

1.1.1 COMPONENTS OF E-BUSINESS ....................................................................... (5)

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ......................................................................... (7)

1.3 OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................... (8)

1.3.1 MAIN OBJECTIVE ................................................................................. (8)

1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ......................................................................... (8)

1.4 HYPOTHESIS ......................................................................................................... (9)

1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY ............................................................... (9)

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................... (1 0)

1.6.1 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE ..................................................................... (10)

1.6.2 INTERNATIONAL SCOPE ...................................................................... (10)

1.6.3 TIME SCOPE ........................................... : .......................................... (10)

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ............................................................... (11)

1.7.1 TO THE RESEARCHER. ................................................................................... (11)

1.7.2 TO THE POLICY MAKERS ................................................................................ (11)

1.7.3 TO ENFORCEMENT BODIES ........................................................................... (11)

1.8 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. (12)

1.8.1 PRIMARY METHODS ........................................................................................ (12)

IX

1.8.1.1 DOCTRINAL METHODS ................................................................................. (12)

1.8.1.2 OBSERVATION .............................................................................................. (12)

1.8.1.31NTERVIEW. ................................................................................................... (13)

1.8.1.4 SAMPLING ...................................................................................................... (13)

1.8.1.5 QUESTIONNAIRE ........................................................................................... (14)

1.8.2 SECONDARY METHODS ................................................................................... (14)

1.8.2.1 THE INTERNET .............................................................................................. (14)

1.9 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................. (14)

CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................... (16)

LITERATURE REVIEW. .............................................................................................. (16)

H.D MUSOKE .............................................................................................................. (16)

GORDON BROWN ..................................................................................................... (17)

HENRY R. CHEESMAN .............................................................................................. (17)

JOHN MICKLEBURGH ............................................................................................... (18)

DICKWESTERNDROP .............................................................................................. (18)

NAYENGA P.K ............................................................................................................ (19)

BRIAN HARVEY .......................................................................................................... (19)

X

KOTLEP ...................................................................................................................... (20)

BORRIE AND DIAMOND ............................................................................................ (21)

DEOGRATIAS MABIRIZI. ........................................................................................... (21)

DAVID. W. OUGHTON ................................................................................................ (22)

D.J BAKIBINGA. .......................................................................................................... (22)

P.S ATIYAH ........................................................... : ..................................................... (23)

BRUCE. D. FISHER .................................................................................................... (23)

ROBERT LOWE AND GEOFFREY WOODROFE ...................................................... (24)

OKOTH OWIRO .......................................................................................................... (24)

SHINANYA B ............................................................................................................... (25)

MILLER AND LOVELL ................................................................................................ (25)

GRANTON.................................................................................................................. (26)

GRANTON, BORNE AND DIAMOND ......................................................................... (27)

CHARLES NEWDICK ................................................................................................. (27)

R- A ANDERSON ...................................................................................................... (28)

CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................... (29)

3.1 LAWS AND AUTHORITIES FOR PROTECTION OF E-CONSUMER ............... (29)

3.1.1 DOMESTIC BODIES FOR PROTECTION OF E-CONSUMERS ..................... (31)

XI

3.1.1.1 UGANDA ICT CONSUMER PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. (UICPA) .......... (31)

3.1.1.2 UGANDA CONSUMERS' PROTECTION ASSOCIATION .......................... (32)

3.1.2 ACTS OF PARLIAMENT PASSED TO REGULATE INTERNET

TRANSACTIONS ........................................................................................................ (32)

3.1.2.1 THE NATIONAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AUTHORITY, UGANDA ACT,

2009 ............................................................................................................................ (34)

3.1.2.2 THE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES ACT, 2011 ........................................... (35)

3.1.2.3 THE COMPUTER MISUSE ACT, 2011 ................................................ (36)

3.1.2.4 THE ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT, 2011 .......................................... (36)

3.1.2.5 THE UGANDA COMMUNICATIONS ACT, 2013 ........................................... (38)

3.1.3 INTERNATIONAL MECHANISMS FOR PROTECTION OF ECONSUMERS ............................................................................................................. (39)

3.1.3.1 THE UNITED NATIONS GUIDELINES FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION

(UNGCP) .................................................................................................................... (40)

3.1.3.2 INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION AND ENFORCEMENT

NETWORK (ICPEN) ................................................................................................... (40)

3.2 TYPES OF CONSUMERS IN UGANDA AND THEIR BEHAVIORS OF

CONSUMPTION ........................................................................................................ (41)

3.2.1 DIRECT CONSUMERS ................................................................................. (41)

XII

3.2.2 CONSUMERS BY EXCHANGING PRODUCTS .............................................. (42)

3.2.3 MODERN CONSUMERS ................................................................................. (42)

3.3 PROTECTION OF CONSUMERS IN UGANDA. .............................................. (43)

3.3.1 THE SALE OF GOODS ACT CAP 82 .............................................................. (44)

3.3.2 THE FOODS AND DRUGS ACT ...................................................................... (46)

3.3.3 THE WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENT ACT CAP 103 ................................... (47)

3.3.4 THE UGANDA BUREAU OF STANDARDS ACT CAP 327 ............................. (47)

3.3.5 THE CONTRACT ACT 2010 ............................................................................ (48)

3.3.5.1 DAMAGES ...................................................................................................... (48)

3.3.5.2 SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE ......................................................................... (48)

3.3.6 BANK OF UGANDA FINANCIAL CONSUMER PROTECTION GUIDELINES,

2011 ............................................................................................................................ (49)

CHAPTER FOUR. ...................................................................................... (51)

4.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................... : .............................. (51)

4.1.1 FINDINGS AND DATA ANALYSIS RELATING TOECONSUMERS ......................................................................................................... (51)

4.1.1.1 E-CONSUMER ASSOCIATIONS .............................................................. (52)

4.1.1.2 INDIVIDUAL ONLINE CONSUMERS ........................................................... (54)

XIII

CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................... (58)

5.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... (58)

5.2. PROBABLE REASONS OF FAILURE TO PASS THE CONSUMER PROTECTION

BILL, 2004 .................................................................................................................. (58)

5.3. WHY UGANDA NEEDS A CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT. ......................... (59)

5.4. RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................... (61)

5.4.1. TO THE GOVERNMENT ..................................................................... (61)

5.4.2. TO NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS .............................................. (62)

5.4.3. THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ................................................................... (62)

5.4.4. TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ................................................ (63)

5.5. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................... (64)

5.6. RECOMMENDED AREAS OF FURTHER RESEARCH ................................. (64)

5.7. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................... (64)

BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................ (66)

APPENDIX A (MAP OF SCOPE OF THE STUDY)

APPENDIX B (INTERVIEW GUIDE)

APPENDIX C (THE QUESTIONNAIRE GUIDE)