Aims

To support the free and open dissemination of research findings and information on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. To encourage open access to peer-reviewed articles free for all to view.

For full versions of posted research articles readers are encouraged to email requests for "electronic reprints" (text file, PDF files, FAX copies) to the corresponding or lead author, who is highlighted in the posting.

___________________________________________

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Uganda: How Govt Has Made Drunkards of the People

The Monitor (Kampala)

Augustus Nuwagaba

As usual, I have been criss-crossing most districts in Uganda collecting data for my various consultancy assignments. One critical issue that has stunned me is the increase in excessive drinking of alcohol. In Koboko, Yumbe, Arua, Jinja, Busia, Luwero, Wakiso, Rukungiri and Kabale, people wake up and by 8:00 am they are already in bars and are dead drunk.

It is public knowledge that the Bakiga have been known as a hard working people. A Mukiga would wake up at 5:00 am and go to the gardens (usually far up in the hills) and they would not return home until 7:00 pm. This was the normal routine particularly for women.

Similarly, the men would wake up early and go to work. But today, a significant proportion of women are also 'busy' in the bars.

. . . . READ FULL ARTICLE

_________________________________________________________________