Sarah Opendi: The MP who is against the 'happiness' of Ugandans

Tororo District Woman Member of Parliament Sarah Opendi is slowly getting renowned as a legislator with a penchant for sniffing life out of any party.

The former Minister of State for Health in charge of general duties finds herself etched in the minds of Ugandans as the legislator who comes to rain on a party.

On November 8, 2022, Opendi was granted leave by parliament to consult and introduce the Alcohol Control Bill, which seeks to limit drinking hours, and opening hours for bars.

Once passed, the bill also seeks to penalise anyone who sells, buys or drinks alcohol before midday.

She maintains  this bill is a “big milestone that will regulate the production, packaging and sale of alcohol.”

Opendi’s proposed bill is highly condemned by a section of the public, who argue that there are far more important matters to the table than alcohol.

Government Spokesperson Ofwono Opondo in the aftermath of the parliament debate said the Bill “must fail”.

“And also, how does the government prevent a tourist on holiday to enjoy from enjoying alcohol at the time of their own choosing? I think it's one of those episodes of real vulgar rural outlook among some MPs,” Opondo commented.

Former Daily Monitor journalist Ivan Okuda also weighed in on the matter.

“The idle and disorderly Sarah Opendi (MP) should find better things to do than try to disturb the peace of the alcohol fraternity. Why limit drinking/booze sale hours?”

Indeed, even while presenting the proposal on the floor of parliament, Opendi was heavily interrupted by fellow legislators before Speaker Anita Among called the House to order.

“I know those who are talking are the ones who take (alcohol) a lot,” Among said.

According to Opendi, no one will be stopped from consuming alcohol, but “we only want it regulated”.

“A responsible person can not start drinking in the morning. Growing up, I saw people go to the bar in the afternoon. Today, from Monday to Monday, you see people drinking,” she argues.

She states that alcohol is partially responsible for poverty in the countryside. People are no longer productive.

Opendi’s bill, however, has its supporters like Buyaga West County MP Barnabas Tinkasimire who says it was long coming, because the citizens are now wasting so much time drinking instead of working to improve the country’s fortunes.

Kitgum legislator Onekalit Denis Amere also concurs, saying alcohol is the biggest contributor to idleness, hence its intake hours should be limited so that people join the workforce.

It should be noted that Uganda already has existing laws on alcohol such as the Liquor Act Cap. 93, The Portable Spirits Act Cap. 97, and the Enguli Act (Manufacturing and Licensing Act Cap. 86) but Opendi believes these are not stringent enough.

Uganda is ranked as the biggest alcohol consumer in East Africa.

According to the Legal and Corporate Affairs manager for Nile Breweries, Onapito Ekomoloit, the government would lose at least Shs50 billion per year in revenue should there be a limitation on the opening of bars to 5:00 pm in Kampala.

“These arguments for controlling alcohol consumption come from an ill-advised copy and paste, which is largely funded by economies in some parts of Europe where alcohol is not integrated into the economy the way ours is,” Onapito said.

Opendi attacks Nyege Nyege

This is the third time Opendi is trying to limit what a certain section of the public calls “happiness”.

At the height of the famous Nyege Nyege festival in September, Opendi moved a motion to have the festival banned.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2022/09/10/no-sex-orgies-vulgar-songs-as-govt-issues-tough-guidelines-for-nyege-nyege-revelers/

She argued that the festival is a breeding ground for immorality, adding that if it was all about promoting culture and tourism, then there are a zillion other ways to do so.

“In the last Nyege Nyege, we all saw what happened; people having sex in the open, drinking themselves silly and people have been told this event will go on both day and night,” Opendi said.

While Opendi did not have her way in the end, she almost successfully led to the banning of the event, until government stakeholders sat and gave it the green flag hours to the event.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2022/09/06/parliament-wants-nyege-nyege-festival-stopped-says-it-is-immoral-evil/

Her comments irked the public to the extent that opposition  Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Party president Patrick Oboi Amuriat vowed to attend the festival for the very first time in protest.

Ban concerts in schools

Just months before the Nyege Nyege festival, Opendi had pushed the Ministry of Education to ban secular music concerts in schools.

Opendi said that she was making the request from a mother’s point of view, especially regarding how musicians dress and behave while performing in these schools.

“What forced me to bring up this issue in Parliament is that musicians dress badly while performing in schools and even their dances are not good for kids. Parents bring their children to learn morals and values," she said.

“You cannot pull off those dances we see musicians do in school and also dress indecently. It is very unfortunate that we have witnessed videos of nursery children dancing the same moves,” she added.

Opendi’s comments got her a cyber flogging from different artistes who called upon her to mind her business and leave schools to decide their affairs.

The Ministry of Education also replied saying that dancing could not be banned, but something will be done about dress codes.

Disgusted by the dress code at Makerere graduation

Opendi also developed issues with the dress code exhibited by a section of graduands at the recent Makerere University graduation ceremony.

Opendi said that the dress code pointed to the fact that there was a moral decay in society right from an upbringing of children, she urged the government to develop programs that instil morals amongst children.

With all these incidents fresh in their minds, a section of Ugandans have labelled Opendi as an MP who is against their happiness.