Examining the Efficacy of the Law of Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 2017 in the Lens of Consumer Protection in Uganda

Muhwezi Albert

School of Law, Kampala International University, Uganda

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the effectiveness of the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 2017 on consumer protection by examining the legal framework governing it at the national and international levels. Findings reveal that Uganda’s consumer protection law falls short and even the available laws do not protect consumers extensively. This Act also does not cater for any redress system for consumer disputes, rights, and remedies of a consumer, and it is upon such a critical analysis that one can conclude that there is an urgent need to protect consumers in Uganda, mainly by setting up a redress system for consumer dispute resolution. More legislation should be enacted and passed, and consumer rights should be enforced since they are intrinsic to any democratic state, and this will lead to economic development. In light of the observations, the article recommends that the government of Uganda amend the law to include the e-commerce provisions that protect consumers on digitally procured products, both intangible and tangible, which give clear and full protection to consumers against fault-sold digital content products. More so, the government of Uganda should amend the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act to clearly define “goods” to also expressly cover digital products and clearly stipulate the mode of digital transactions since such goods are different from ordinary goods that the consumer is able to examine before purchasing them.

Keywords: Sale of Goods and Supply of Services, and consumer protection

CITE AS: Muhwezi Albert. (2024). Examining the Efficacy of the Law of Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 2017 in the Lens of Consumer Protection in Uganda. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN EDUCATION 4(1):16-21. https://doi.org/10.59298/RIJRE/2024/411621