The Coalition Against Illicit Alcohol Uganda Chapter (CAIA–Uganda), together with the West Nile Education Trust Fund (WNETF), has called for a united fight against the consumption of illicit alcohol.
The call was made during a community marathon held yesterday in Arua. The marathon aimed to promote healthy lifestyle choices among communities in West Nile by discouraging the consumption of illicit alcohol, while also supporting the campaign for University Education for All in the region.
The event featured multiple race categories, including 21km, 10km, 5km, and 2km distances, and attracted over 500 participants from across West Nile. It was officially flagged off from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) in Arua and brought together athletes, community members, government officials, elders, and other key stakeholders.
Beyond promoting physical fitness, the marathon served as a platform to highlight the strong link between illicit alcohol consumption and poor education outcomes in the region. In many households, limited income that could otherwise support school fees, scholastic materials, and basic welfare is instead spent on illicit spirits. This often results in financial strain, ill health, and reduced productivity among parents and guardians.
Health complications associated with illicit alcohol further weaken households, leaving caregivers unable to work consistently or meet the educational needs of their children.
Angupale Swadik Alemi, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner (DRCC) of Arua City, a former Member of Parliament for Ayivu County, and a founding member of the West Nile Education Trust Fund, noted that, “When families lose income and health to illicit alcohol, education becomes the first casualty. Yet education remains the strongest pathway to breaking poverty in our communities.”
To promote sustained community dialogue on illicit alcohol, CAIA–Uganda, with support from the Boda Boda Association of Arua City, onboarded 40 boda boda riders under an initiative dubbed “Ebiboozi bya Boda”—loosely translated as Boda Boda Conversations.
The initiative leverages boda boda riders to actively engage passengers and community members in discussions about the dangers of illicit spirits, raise awareness on safer drinking practices, and encourage healthier lifestyle choices. As part of the initiative’s launch in Arua, a boda boda roadshow was conducted in high-traffic areas across the city.
Awaku Swadik, Chairman of the Boda Boda Association of Arua City, and Mahadi Yusuf, Secretary General of the Boda Boda Union West Nile, expressed their commitment to the campaign, stating, “We are grateful to CAIA–Uganda for involving boda boda riders in this important initiative because we want our people to stay healthy.”
They further pledged to work closely with the coalition by continuously following up with riders to ensure they actively engage passengers and spread awareness about the dangers and existence of illicit spirits in their communities.
Ismail Yassin, a boda boda rider participating in the initiative, also committed to the cause, saying, “I promise to always engage my passengers in conversations about illicit alcohol and encourage them to make safer choices for themselves and their families.”
In recent years, several reports have exposed the widespread existence and consumption of illicit spirits in Arua. In August 2022, over 17 people died and several others were hospitalized after consuming City 5 Alcohol, a locally produced gin later found to contain dangerously high levels of methanol.
Although the production and sale of the toxic spirit were banned and those responsible arrested, several other illicit alcoholic products continue to circulate on the market, posing serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers who may not be aware of their dangers.
Okuni Tamimu, a refuse scout in Central Division, Arua City, observed, “Every day, as we collect rubbish in Arua, we come across countless bottles of illicit spirits. This shows how widespread their consumption is.”
Fatuma, a boda boda rider in Arua, also shared that she recently attended the burial of a community member who died as a result of consuming illicit alcohol.
This continued risk and widespread access to illicit alcohol have informed CAIA–Uganda’s targeted interventions in Arua, particularly through engagement with the city’s large boda boda population. With thousands of riders operating daily—many of whom are either exposed to or consume illicit spirits—the sector provides a strategic platform for driving sustained community conversations on the dangers of illicit alcohol and promoting safer choices.
CAIA–Uganda further encourages adults of legal drinking age who choose to consume alcohol to avoid illicit products and instead opt for regulated beverages that meet established safety standards, while ensuring that individuals below the legal drinking age are protected.
Through these efforts, CAIA–Uganda aims to reduce harm, protect lives, and promote safer communities and festive celebrations as Arua moves toward 2026.
