TABLE OF CONTENTS
· DECLARATION ...................................................... : ...................................................... (I)
APPROVAL .................................................................................................................. (II)
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................... (Ill)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................ (IV)
LIST OF STATUTES .................................................................................... (V)
LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................. (VI)
LIST OF CASES ........................................................................................... (VII)
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................. (VIII)
ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. (xv)
CHAPTER ONE. ........................................................................................................... (1)
1.0. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... (1)
1.0.1 DEFINITION OF A CONSUMER AND E-COMMERCE ........................ : ............ (1)
1.0.2 BACKGROUND OF E-COMMERCE IN Uganda ................................................. (1)
1.0.2.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF E-COMMERCE IN UGANDA. .................... (2)
1.0.2.2 THE BIRTH OF E-CONSUMERS IN UGANDA. ............................................ (3)
1.1 E-COMMERCE IN UGANDA. .......................................................................... (5)
VIII
1.1.1 COMPONENTS OF E-BUSINESS ....................................................................... (5)
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ......................................................................... (7)
1.3 OBJECTIVES ......................................................................................................... (8)
1.3.1 MAIN OBJECTIVE ................................................................................. (8)
1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ......................................................................... (8)
1.4 HYPOTHESIS ......................................................................................................... (9)
1.5 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY ............................................................... (9)
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................... (1 0)
1.6.1 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE ..................................................................... (10)
1.6.2 INTERNATIONAL SCOPE ...................................................................... (10)
1.6.3 TIME SCOPE ........................................... : .......................................... (10)
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ............................................................... (11)
1.7.1 TO THE RESEARCHER. ................................................................................... (11)
1.7.2 TO THE POLICY MAKERS ................................................................................ (11)
1.7.3 TO ENFORCEMENT BODIES ........................................................................... (11)
1.8 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. (12)
1.8.1 PRIMARY METHODS ........................................................................................ (12)
IX
1.8.1.1 DOCTRINAL METHODS ................................................................................. (12)
1.8.1.2 OBSERVATION .............................................................................................. (12)
1.8.1.31NTERVIEW. ................................................................................................... (13)
1.8.1.4 SAMPLING ...................................................................................................... (13)
1.8.1.5 QUESTIONNAIRE ........................................................................................... (14)
1.8.2 SECONDARY METHODS ................................................................................... (14)
1.8.2.1 THE INTERNET .............................................................................................. (14)
1.9 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................. (14)
CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................... (16)
LITERATURE REVIEW. .............................................................................................. (16)
H.D MUSOKE .............................................................................................................. (16)
GORDON BROWN ..................................................................................................... (17)
HENRY R. CHEESMAN .............................................................................................. (17)
JOHN MICKLEBURGH ............................................................................................... (18)
DICKWESTERNDROP .............................................................................................. (18)
NAYENGA P.K ............................................................................................................ (19)
BRIAN HARVEY .......................................................................................................... (19)
X
KOTLEP ...................................................................................................................... (20)
BORRIE AND DIAMOND ............................................................................................ (21)
DEOGRATIAS MABIRIZI. ........................................................................................... (21)
DAVID. W. OUGHTON ................................................................................................ (22)
D.J BAKIBINGA. .......................................................................................................... (22)
P.S ATIYAH ........................................................... : ..................................................... (23)
BRUCE. D. FISHER .................................................................................................... (23)
ROBERT LOWE AND GEOFFREY WOODROFE ...................................................... (24)
OKOTH OWIRO .......................................................................................................... (24)
SHINANYA B ............................................................................................................... (25)
MILLER AND LOVELL ................................................................................................ (25)
GRANTON.................................................................................................................. (26)
GRANTON, BORNE AND DIAMOND ......................................................................... (27)
CHARLES NEWDICK ................................................................................................. (27)
R- A ANDERSON ...................................................................................................... (28)
CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................... (29)
3.1 LAWS AND AUTHORITIES FOR PROTECTION OF E-CONSUMER ............... (29)
3.1.1 DOMESTIC BODIES FOR PROTECTION OF E-CONSUMERS ..................... (31)
XI
3.1.1.1 UGANDA ICT CONSUMER PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. (UICPA) .......... (31)
3.1.1.2 UGANDA CONSUMERS' PROTECTION ASSOCIATION .......................... (32)
3.1.2 ACTS OF PARLIAMENT PASSED TO REGULATE INTERNET
TRANSACTIONS ........................................................................................................ (32)
3.1.2.1 THE NATIONAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AUTHORITY, UGANDA ACT,
2009 ............................................................................................................................ (34)
3.1.2.2 THE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES ACT, 2011 ........................................... (35)
3.1.2.3 THE COMPUTER MISUSE ACT, 2011 ................................................ (36)
3.1.2.4 THE ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS ACT, 2011 .......................................... (36)
3.1.2.5 THE UGANDA COMMUNICATIONS ACT, 2013 ........................................... (38)
3.1.3 INTERNATIONAL MECHANISMS FOR PROTECTION OF ECONSUMERS ............................................................................................................. (39)
3.1.3.1 THE UNITED NATIONS GUIDELINES FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION
(UNGCP) .................................................................................................................... (40)
3.1.3.2 INTERNATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION AND ENFORCEMENT
NETWORK (ICPEN) ................................................................................................... (40)
3.2 TYPES OF CONSUMERS IN UGANDA AND THEIR BEHAVIORS OF
CONSUMPTION ........................................................................................................ (41)
3.2.1 DIRECT CONSUMERS ................................................................................. (41)
XII
3.2.2 CONSUMERS BY EXCHANGING PRODUCTS .............................................. (42)
3.2.3 MODERN CONSUMERS ................................................................................. (42)
3.3 PROTECTION OF CONSUMERS IN UGANDA. .............................................. (43)
3.3.1 THE SALE OF GOODS ACT CAP 82 .............................................................. (44)
3.3.2 THE FOODS AND DRUGS ACT ...................................................................... (46)
3.3.3 THE WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENT ACT CAP 103 ................................... (47)
3.3.4 THE UGANDA BUREAU OF STANDARDS ACT CAP 327 ............................. (47)
3.3.5 THE CONTRACT ACT 2010 ............................................................................ (48)
3.3.5.1 DAMAGES ...................................................................................................... (48)
3.3.5.2 SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE ......................................................................... (48)
3.3.6 BANK OF UGANDA FINANCIAL CONSUMER PROTECTION GUIDELINES,
2011 ............................................................................................................................ (49)
CHAPTER FOUR. ...................................................................................... (51)
4.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................... : .............................. (51)
4.1.1 FINDINGS AND DATA ANALYSIS RELATING TOECONSUMERS ......................................................................................................... (51)
4.1.1.1 E-CONSUMER ASSOCIATIONS .............................................................. (52)
4.1.1.2 INDIVIDUAL ONLINE CONSUMERS ........................................................... (54)
XIII
CHAPTER FIVE ......................................................................................... (58)
5.1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................... (58)
5.2. PROBABLE REASONS OF FAILURE TO PASS THE CONSUMER PROTECTION
BILL, 2004 .................................................................................................................. (58)
5.3. WHY UGANDA NEEDS A CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT. ......................... (59)
5.4. RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................... (61)
5.4.1. TO THE GOVERNMENT ..................................................................... (61)
5.4.2. TO NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS .............................................. (62)
5.4.3. THE LOCAL COMMUNITY ................................................................... (62)
5.4.4. TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ................................................ (63)
5.5. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................... (64)
5.6. RECOMMENDED AREAS OF FURTHER RESEARCH ................................. (64)
5.7. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................... (64)
BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................ (66)
APPENDIX A (MAP OF SCOPE OF THE STUDY)
APPENDIX B (INTERVIEW GUIDE)
APPENDIX C (THE QUESTIONNAIRE GUIDE)
ABSTRACT Being a law student and at the same time a consumer, I have continuously assessed the conditions of an average consumer of commodities. The research is intended to establish existence of consumer protection Legislations in Uganda and other authorities that are meant to protect consumers in the economy. Consumers are a very vital aspect in the economy of Uganda and they have little to say about whether or not what they consume is authentic or not. It's not like they can strike and stop consuming because most of these are essential, basic 1 and vital to the average person. The question raised then is whether the government has done anything to protect these consumers? In the bid to resolve the issue above, thorough examination shall be put on establishing whether or not the existing legislations and authority confer protection to consumers or not. And if there is no, or there is ineffectiveness in authority already existing, then what measures are in place to offer protection to consumers. Suffice to note that a consumer protection bill2 among other measures is prevalent. This measure as well is discussed in the research.
