Uganda must stop gambling with the food on our plates

What the report says

The Observer says its investigation into food adulteration in Uganda points to serious gaps in consumer protection and market oversight. The article focuses on everyday products such as milk and groundnut paste, warning that buyers in open markets may not be getting what they think they are purchasing. It argues that food can be diluted, mixed with cheaper ingredients, repackaged or sold under misleading labels, while consumers have little practical way to detect the problem.

As evidence, the piece cites a 2025 Makerere University study that found adulteration in 45 of 100 groundnut powder and paste samples collected from Kampala markets. Another 30 samples were not clearly classifiable. The Observer says those findings do not prove the national scale of the problem, but they are enough to raise concern about food safety and fairness in the market.

The article says enforcement is weakened by fragmented responsibilities between the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and local government health authorities, along with limited staffing and the absence of a comprehensive national survey. It quotes Food Rights Alliance executive director Agnes Kirabo, who says Uganda needs better evidence, stronger testing and clearer referral systems. The piece calls for regular food safety surveys, improved laboratory capacity, tougher penalties for deliberate fraud and more consumer education, while stressing that awareness alone cannot replace regulation.