KAMPALA- The Uganda Red Cross has tasked parliament to support the Amendment in its Act to expand its mandate rather than sticking it on armed conflicts.
A presentation of the final draft of the Uganda Red Cross Society Bill, intended to revise the Red Cross Act, cap 57 Laws of Uganda has been presented to partners by the Uganda Red Cross Legal team in a meeting organized at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.
According to Red Cross, the revised version will also clearly bring out the auxiliary role of the National Society to the government efforts in areas expressed as the Mandates of the Red Cross in Uganda.
The Secretary General Uganda Red Cross Society Mr. Robert Kwesiga said, “This consultative meeting with stakeholders is a process we must go thru as Uganda Red Cross to bring stakeholders up to speed as we conclude the process of revising The Red Cross Act 1964.”
He added that after the amendments being reviewed by stakeholders, the Bill will be ready for the first reading before Parliament soon.
“We are making strides through our line ministry to have the Red Cross Act revised & Updated. Final Bill is being presented today and hopefully we intend to see the legislators take on this process to another level,” Kwesiga noted.
Uganda Red Cross looks forward to acquiring a certificate of financial implications from the Ministry of Finance and having the bill published in the gazette ready for its First reading in Parliament.
The Uganda Red Cross was established by an Act of Parliament in 1964, but its objectives, functions, management, governance and funding were not expressly catered for in the establishing Act.
A motion for leave to introduce the Bill as a private member’s bill was granted by the Parliament of Uganda in October 2018 and Submission was made to the Department of Legal and Legislative Services of the Parliament of Uganda.
This Bill therefore seeks to strengthen and promote the capacity of the Red Society.
