Govt moves to tighten restrictions on sale of gins

The government is set to issue a new ministerial order on banned illegal substances following an increase of drugs and other illicit brews on local market, a move legislators say will help courts deal with drug-related cases. Internal Security minister Fazil Harerimana announced the development, on Tuesday, while appearing before lawmakers to respond to MPs’ call on government to step up monitoring mechanisms and step up crackdown on narcotics and crude gin dealers. Currently, Rwanda’s standard on alcohol requires that any drink, imported or produced locally, cannot exceed 45 per cent of alcohol potency. However, manufacturers are said to have been labelling their packages with lower potency indents, which, according to lawmakers, end up harming unsuspecting consumers. MP Iphigenie Mukandera, a member of the Standing Committee on Unity, Human Rights and FightAgainst Genocide, said despite numerous anti-drugs and narcotics campaigns, consumption levels remain worrying and to the detriment of youth, yet convicting producers has been hard due to lack of sufficient evidence. “During our field visits, we found out that people consume a lot of seemingly legal gins such as Siruduwili, Chief Waragi and Zebra Waragi, but end up being unproductive and indulge in other unwanted behaviour,” she said. “While Police have been destroying these substances and prosecuting suspects, we were told the suspects are let free due to lack of sufficient incriminating evidence or due to the fact that drinks in question are not formally banned on the market.” So far, drug abuse and trafficking remain top of the crimes committed in the country followed by assault, theft and robbery, and defilement. Addressing the committee, Minister Harerimana said, “Manufacturers who supply products on the market need to meet certain levels of safety and standard.” Article 594 of the Penal Code punishes the manufacture, sale and use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances with a prison sentence of up to five years and a fine of up to Rwf5 million. Facilitating another person to use drugs attracts a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of Rwf500,000 to Rwf 5 million under Article 595. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Govt moves to tighten restrictions on sale of gins