Members of Parliament vow to fight cement Adulteration

3^rd March, 2010. Kasese. Members of Parliament on the committee of Science and Technology have called for stronger regulations that will protect consumers and manufactures from Cement adulteration during a tour at the Hima Cement Kasese plant.

During the fact finding tour on Quality control and assurance measures by the Parliamentary committee on Science and Technology at Hima Cement Plant in Kasese, the committee pledged support for strong regulatory oversight for adulteration and agreed to voluntarily protect local Cement manufactures and consumers.

"We have to ensure enforcement of Adulteration regulations in order to protect cement consumers,” Said Hon. Charles Ngabirano, the Member of Parliament Rwampara County. “We will continue to work very closely with Hima Cement, Uganda Police, UNBS and the ministry in charge of Construction to ensure this vice is completely stopped.”

Hon. Ngabirano expressed his concerns about the adulteration of the cement and the need for strong adulteration regulations "While Cement manufactures like Hima are producing Quality Cement, and have strict quality control measures in place, we have unscrupulous people in the market producing sub-standard cement. We must have stronger regulations that will protect our local manufactures and consumers.”

Uganda’s construction industry has grown fast in recent years and so has the demand for construction materials which unscrupulous dealers have taken advantage of.

While addressing the Members of Parliament on the committee of Science and Technology, Mr. Allen Mate the Hima Cement Plant Manager said, “We continue to seek partnership with Government and any other stakeholders willing to fight this vice.”

Cement manufacturers have continued to voice concern about the growing practice of cement adulteration by unscrupulous business people especially in Kampala and its suburbs.