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Shift Media News 
KAMPALA, Uganda | July 23, 2025 [SHIFTMEDIA] In a landmark step toward public health reform, Uganda’s campaign against unhealthy “junk” foods—laden with salt, sugar, and saturated fats—has received critical government backing. A new and influential voice has joined the growing movement: Norbert Mao, Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
Mao, a respected lawyer, Democratic Party (DP) President, and former legislator, pledged to champion legal reforms aimed at protecting Ugandan consumers from the rising health risks posed by processed and unlabeled foods. His commitment came during a petition handover organized by the Uganda Law Society Food and Law Cluster and spearheaded by the Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT).
The petition, endorsed by thousands of Ugandans from across the country, calls for the urgent implementation of a Front of Package Warning Label (FOPWL) policy. The policy would mandate clear labeling on food products to inform consumers of harmful ingredients such as excess sugar, salt, and trans fats.
READ:https://www.shiftmedianews.com/ugandas-silent-epidemic-how-unregulated-food-is-killing-the-nation/
Leading the advocacy was CEFROHT Executive Director, Dr. David Kabanda, a food law expert with a PhD in the field. Flanked by a team of legal professionals, Kabanda stressed the urgency of enacting regulations to curb the growing number of diet-related illnesses.
“Every day, Ugandans unknowingly consume dangerous amounts of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats,” said Dr. Kabanda. “These products flood our supermarket shelves and are often the only options available in school canteens and restaurants. People are dying, and the country is losing 33% of its citizens to preventable diet-related diseases.”
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Joan Kembabazi, CEFROHT’s Program Manager for Social Justice and Strategic Litigation, read the petition aloud during the meeting, underscoring the public’s demand for transparency in food production and labeling. Kabanda emphasized that without clear food labels, Ugandans remain in the dark about what they are putting into their bodies.
He further pointed to countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, and neighboring Kenya, which have already adopted food labeling laws and consumer protections. “It is time Uganda joined this list. We have a draft policy sitting at the Ministry of Health—we now need political will to move it forward.”
In response, Hon. Mao offered a passionate endorsement of the petition’s objectives. “Uganda is spending vast sums on building cancer wards and acquiring screening equipment, but we must ask ourselves—is this sustainable?” he said. “We are a developing country. Prevention, not cure, is the answer.”
The minister expressed deep concern about the rise in lifestyle-related illnesses, noting that young people in their 20s often appear physically older than their years. “I am 58,” Mao shared, “but I meet 25-year-olds who look older than me. This is what poor diets are doing to our people.”
Mao’s remarks struck a personal and sobering tone as he recounted disturbing reports of harmful practices in Uganda’s informal food sector. “I’ve heard of vendors adding antiretroviral drugs to beans to speed up cooking, and sellers using formalin to preserve meat and milk. These practices are not only dangerous—they reflect a deeper issue of mindset.”
As Chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Social Justice, Mao promised to advocate directly to President Yoweri Museveni. “I will prepare a detailed brief and request a face-to-face meeting between the President and your team,” he assured the lawyers. “The President has long championed healthy eating. He advises Ugandans to eat cassava instead of bread and warns against peanuts stored too long, which carry deadly aflatoxins. I am confident he will support this cause.”
Mao also pledged to appoint a focal person from his Ministry to join the advocacy team, ensuring the government is consistently engaged throughout the policy discussion. Furthermore, he committed to organizing a stakeholder meeting to chart a clear path toward implementing the Front of Package Labeling policy.
However, he acknowledged the battle ahead. “The food industry is powerful. There are those profiting from these harmful products who will resist regulation. But this is a righteous cause, and I will stand with you,” he said, addressing the lawyers and civil society groups.
He added with a smile, “One day, the country will recognize your efforts. Today it may not be front-page news, but trust me, history will remember the people who helped save lives through policy and law.”
Mao also took the opportunity to reflect on Uganda’s shifting food culture and the nostalgia of simpler, healthier times. “While at school, we had three types of cassava. The ‘Kyaalo’—boiled plain for us rural folks. The ‘Kibuga’—lightly seasoned for the town kids. And the ‘London’—fried cassava with eggs for the affluent. Ironically, those of us who ate the plain ‘Kyaalo’ cassava ended up living healthier, longer lives.”
He called on all Ugandans to reassess their dietary choices and embrace locally available, nutrient-rich foods. “We must have a mindset change,” he urged.
The urgency of the campaign is underscored by national health statistics. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, are on the rise in Uganda, now accounting for a third of all deaths annually. Many of these conditions are preventable with better nutrition and consumer awareness.
Kabanda noted that with Minister Mao’s backing, advocates are hopeful that the push for transparent food labeling will now gain momentum at the highest levels of government.
“We believe this is the start of a new chapter,” said Dr. Kabanda. “With allies like Hon. Mao, we are not just pushing papers—we’re saving lives.”
Editor’s Note:
If you support the campaign for food labeling and consumer rights in Uganda, you can sign the public petition at: https://www.cefroht.org/
official website. Awareness begins with action.
