STRENGTHENING CONSUMER RIGHTS IN UGANDA: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

AUTHOR – TREVOR MUSINGUZI * & DR.SUNIL KUMAR**, *LL.M. (MASTER OF LAWS) & **PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LEGAL STUDIES, CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY, MOHALI (PUNJAB).

BEST CITATION – TREVOR MUSINGUZI & DR.SUNIL KUMAR, STRENGTHENING CONSUMER RIGHTS IN UGANDA: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS, INDIAN JOURNAL OF LEGAL REVIEW (IJLR), 4 (4) OF 2024, PG. 442-449, APIS – 3920 – 0001 & ISSN – 2583-2344.

Introduction

Consumer rights enforcement plays a key role in ensuring fair treatment, quality products, and protection against exploitation in the marketplace. In Uganda, despite progress in developing consumer protection laws, turning these laws into effective actions remains a major challenge. The country’s rapidly growing market has exposed gaps between policy and real-life enforcement, leaving consumers vulnerable to unfair practices. Regulatory bodies like the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) have been established to address these issues, but they face hurdles such as limited funding, lack of staff, and poor coordination with other agencies. These challenges weaken the enforcement process, often leaving consumer complaints unresolved. Moreover, many consumers are unaware of their rights, which further limits the impact of these laws. The diverse Ugandan market, filled with both local and imported goods, increases the risk of substandard products reaching consumers, especially with modern advertising on digital platforms complicating traditional consumer protection efforts. With the rise of online shopping and international goods, today’s consumers face a more complex landscape, making strong enforcement mechanisms crucial for maintaining trust and stability in the economy. Weak enforcement can lead to harmful products circulating in the market, causing financial losses and health risks. Counterfeit goods, such as fake medicines and electronics, are common due to gaps in enforcement. This study seeks to understand the current challenges in enforcing consumer rights in Uganda and proposes solutions to bridge these gaps. It examines the issues faced by regulatory agencies, the effectiveness of existing policies, and the impact of low consumer awareness.

Keywords: Consumer rights, enforcement mechanisms, market fairness, consumer awareness, legal protection, economic stability, Uganda, access to justice, regulatory framework.