The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has finalized a draft Bill seeking a total ban on single-use plastics in Uganda. The bold legislative move is the government’s latest attempt to tackle rampant plastic pollution, severe urban flooding, and widespread environmental degradation.
The proposed Bill, which is currently awaiting presentation to Parliament, aims to completely phase out “problematic” single-use plastic products, popularly known as kaveera. These materials have long been blamed for choking drainage channels, polluting wetlands, and fueling recurrent, destructive flash floods, particularly in Kampala and other rapidly growing urban centers.
Speaking about the development, NEMA Executive Director, Dr Barirega Akankwasah, emphasized that the environmental watchdog is already promoting alternative packaging materials to ensure a smooth transition once the law takes effect. These include fabric bags, craft packaging, recyclable plastics, and biodegradable products manufactured from organic materials.
Dr Barirega also appealed to corporate Uganda to lead by example, urging hotel owners, government institutions, and private companies to phase out plastic water bottles in favor of glass. He extended the same call to beverage giants, urging a structural shift back to glass bottling systems.
“The Bill is coming to ban single-use plastics. This Bill is already in process. Very soon, we shall say bye-bye to single-use plastics, which are very problematic to the environment,” Dr Barirega stated.
“We call upon all producers, manufacturers, and citizens to embrace this new journey of transitioning from problematic single-use plastics to alternative sources of packaging and recyclable, non-single-use plastics.”
Recognizing the economic anxieties of manufacturers, the Executive Director clarified that the law does not target the entire plastics industry. To level the playing field, the government has introduced fiscal incentives, such as an excise duty on virgin plastic granules, to give sustainable, alternative packaging a competitive edge in the market.
“We cannot say that we shall phase out all plastics, because most items utilize plastic. But we shall phase out single-use plastics, which are highly problematic. Plastic is here to stay, but plastic that is safe for the environment is what we shall promote,” Dr Barirega explained.
According to NEMA statistics, Uganda generates more than 600 metric tonnes of plastic waste daily. Shockingly, less than 40 percent is properly collected and managed. The remaining 60 percent is routinely dumped, ending up in drainage channels, fragile wetlands, vital water bodies, and open public spaces.
The upcoming legislative battle marks the government’s sixth attempt to rid the country of plastic bags. Similar bans launched in 2007, 2009, 2015, 2018, and 2021 all collapsed or suffered from a severe lack of enforcement.
During these past cycles, banned plastic bags continued to be manufactured locally, imported openly, or smuggled across Uganda’s porous borders. Even after a strict 2021 Cabinet directive, enforcement stalled. NEMA later admitted it lacked sufficient teeth after the National Environment Act 2019 inadvertently transferred key regulatory powers to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), whose mandate prioritizes product certification over environmental protection.
NEMA Public Relations Officer, Mr William Lubuulwa, revealed that previous interventions failed because they only targeted plastics below 30 microns, creating an enforcement nightmare.
“The earlier approach was difficult to implement because differentiating between 30, 40, 50, or even 80-micron plastics was nearly impossible for officers in the field,” Mr. Lubuulwa explained. “The new Bill seeks a total ban on single-use plastics, making enforcement much clearer and more effective.”
Mr Lubuulwa added that NEMA has conducted exhaustive stakeholder consultations and technical studies to ensure the proposed law is legally airtight, practical, and capable of finally resolving Uganda’s waste crisis. If passed, stakeholders believe the law will drastically improve climate resilience, safeguard public health, and protect the country’s decaying ecosystems.