Uganda
Weights and Measures Act
Chapter 103
- Published
- Commenced on 1 July 1965
- [This is the version of this document at 31 December 2000.]
- [Note: The version of the Act as at 31 December 2000 was revised and consolidated by the Law Reform Commission of Uganda. All subsequent amendments have been researched and applied by Laws.Africa for ULII.]
Part I – Interpretation
1. Interpretation
Part II – Units of measurement
2. Measurement of weight
3. Measurement of length
4. Measurement of area
5. Measurement of volume
6. Measurement of capacity
7. Amendments of definitions of units of measurement
The Minister may by statutory order amend the definitions of the kilogram, the metre and the litre occurring respectively in sections 2, 3, and 6, and the amendments shall be the meanings appearing to him or her to reproduce in English the definitions of the units recognised by the General Conference of Weights and Measures from time to time convened by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.8. This Part and section 9 subject to section 46
This Part of the Act and section 9 shall be subject to section 46 and any statutory order made under it.Part III – Standards of weight and measure
9. Primary standards
10. Secondary standards
11. Working standards and testing equipment
Part IV – Weighing and measuring for trade
12. Meaning of "use for trade"
13. Units of measurement lawful for use for trade
14. Weights and measures lawful for use for trade
15. Weighing or measuring equipment lawful for use for trade
16. Submitting equipment to inspector
17. Examination, stamping and adjusting of equipment by inspector and certificate of verification
18. Period of validity of stamp
19. Weighing or measuring equipment with novel features
20. Weighing or measuring in presence of buyer or seller
Any person who uses any weighing or measuring equipment for trade to determine the quantity of goods in the presence of the buyer or seller of those goods shall cause the equipment to be so placed, and shall so conduct the operation of weighing or measuring, as to permit the buyer or seller a clear and unobstructed view of the equipment and of all the indications of quantity, and any person who contravenes or fails to comply with this section commits an offence.21. Evidence of possession
Where any weighing or measuring equipment is found in the possession of any person carrying on trade or on any premises which are used for trade, that person or, as the case may be, the occupier of those premises shall be deemed for the purposes of this Act, unless the contrary is proved, to have that equipment in his or her possession for use for trade.22. Rules relating to weighing or measuring and fees
The Minister may make rules with respect to—23. Sale or hire of measuring equipment
No person shall—24. Offences in connection with equipment
25. Other offences in connection with equipment
Part V – Regulation of certain transactions in goods
26. Short weight and misrepresentation
27. Weight to be deemed net weight
For the purposes of this Part of this Act, any statement by the seller whether by words or in writing, as to the weight of any goods shall be deemed, unless otherwise expressed, to be a statement by the seller as to the net weight of goods.28. Check-weighing of vehicles
29. Offences relating to prepacked goods
30. Pleading of warranty as defence
31. Other defences and safeguards
32. Offences due to default of third person
A person against whom proceedings are brought for an offence under this Part of this Act or any rules made under it shall, upon information duly laid by him or her and on giving to the prosecutor not less than three clear days’ notice of his or her intention to avail himself or herself of the provisions of this subsection, be entitled to have brought before the court in those proceedings any other person to whose act or default he or she alleges that the commission of the offence was due; and if, after the offence has been proved, the original defendant proves that the commission of the offence was due to an act or default of that other person—33. Rules relating to transactions in particular goods
The Minister may make rules with respect to—Part VI – Administration
34. Superintendent of weights and measures
35. Inspectors of weights and measures
Subject to any written law relating to the appointment of persons to the public service, there shall be appointed such number of inspectors of weights and measures as may be necessary for the purposes of this Act.36. Examiners of weights and measures
37. Powers of inspection and entry
38. Obstruction of inspector or examiner
Part VII – General
39. Offences by corporations
Where an offence under this Act or any rules made under it which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, the officer or person as well as the body corporate shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and is liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.40. Liability of employer or master
When an act is done under this Act by a servant, agent, partner or employee acting within the scope of his or her employment and the act would be an offence if done by the master, principal or employer, the master, principal or employer is guilty of that offence and is liable to the penalties provided by this Act.41. Aiding
Where any particular action is an offence under this Act or any rules made under it, every person who authorises, directs, causes, permits, advises, condones or aids the commission of that offence shall be considered to have committed that offence and may be proceeded with and convicted accordingly.42. Protection from personal liability
No act, matter or thing done by an inspector, examiner or any person assisting an inspector or examiner, if the act, matter or thing is done in good faith for the purpose of executing any duty under the provisions of this Act or any rules made under it, shall render him or her personally liable to any civil action, suit, claim or other proceedings whatsoever in respect of that act, matter or thing.43. Rules
The Minister may make rules for better carrying into effect the provisions of this Act and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may prescribe—44. Offences and penalties generally
Part VIII — Conversion to metric
45. Metric system
Units of measurement directly related to the metre and the kilogram are referred to in this Act as the metric system, and units of measurement related to the yard and the pound are referred to in this Act as the derived system.46. Prohibition of derived system
The Minister may by statutory order specify any area, industry, trade or transaction to be an area, industry, trade or transaction in which the use of the derived system is prohibited or in which weights, measures or weighing and measuring instruments of the derived system or any system other than the metric system are prohibited by way of trade, with effect from such date and in such circumstances as he or she may think fit.47. Exemptions
In any case where the Minister is satisfied that suitable arrangements exist for ultimate compliance with the provisions of any statutory order made under section 46, he or she may by statutory order exempt any person, trade or industry from the provisions of a statutory order made under section 46 for such time and upon such conditions as he or she may think fit.48. Surrender to inspector
49. Seizure and disposal of weight, measure and instrument of derived system
50. Prohibition of weights, measures and instruments of derived system
The Minister may by statutory order prohibit the importation, sale or manufacture of weights, measures and weighing and measuring instruments which do not weigh or measure in units of the metric system, and any weights, measures or instruments so prohibited shall not be accepted by an inspector for verification.51. Metric price conversion table
Any person in any area, trade, industry or transaction in which the use of the derived system or any system other than the metric system has been prohibited by a statutory order made under section 46, or any person who is required to have weighing or measuring instruments converted under this Part, shall at all times exhibit in a conspicuous position in his or her place of trade so as to be easily readable by members of the public such metric price conversion tables as the Minister may direct.52. Transitional rules
The Minister may make rules for all or any of the following purposes—53. Offences and penalties relating to conversion to metric system
Any person who—History of this document
31 December 2000 this version
Consolidation
01 July 1965
Commenced
Cited documents 0
Subsidiary legislation
Title
|
Date
|
|
---|---|---|
Weights and Measures (Testing and Stamping Fees) Rules, 2017 | Statutory Instrument 34 of 2017 | 23 June 2017 |
Weights and Measures (Dispensing Pumps, Bulk Meters and Bulk Measures) (Amendment) Rules 2011 | Statutory Instrument 26 of 2011 | 31 May 2011 |