Uganda National Meteorological Authority Act, 2012

The Act comes into force on a date appointed by the Minister by Statutory Instrument.

This section provides definitions of terms used in the Act (for example Authority, Board, climate, climate change, Congress, Convention, Executive Director, Meteorology, Meteorological services, Minister, Organisation, weather, weather modification).

The Chairperson and members of the Board are entitled to be paid remuneration determined by the Minister, who may determine it in consultation with the Ministers responsible for Public Service and Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

The Board may delegate its powers, duties or functions (by instrument) to specified office-holders, committees or competent persons; delegated roles may include making regulations, enforcing licences and protecting health and safety, collecting and disseminating meteorological data, securing installations, and recruitment; aggrieved persons may appeal to the Board; persons exercising delegated powers must comply with Board directions in writing.

Schedule 2 applies to meetings of the Board and to other matters provided for in it.

The Board may appoint committees; committees must have a chairperson and members; the Board must set members' terms in writing; members may be paid allowances; committees may regulate procedure subject to Board directions; the Board may require committees to act jointly or cooperate.

The Minister must appoint an Executive Director on the Board's recommendation; the Executive Director serves as the chief executive and accounting officer, must be full-time, must have high moral character and qualifications, and must not be older than 65.

The Executive Director must perform duties including ensuring implementation of the Authority's functions; providing meteorology services timely, businesslike, efficient, effective and cost‑effective; identifying sites for meteorological instruments; carrying out functions the Minister considers desirable; managing the Authority in a business-like, cost-effective way applying high financial management standards; and designing operations focused on best customer service and responsiveness.

The Authority may install, construct, place or maintain meteorological equipment on or under land or water for meteorological observations, but must give reasonable notice to the owner or occupier or local agency and must not acquire any property rights other than a user right.

The Executive Director may delegate most powers in writing; delegated officers may exercise those powers subject to directions; the Executive Director is answerable to the Board.

The Executive Director holds office for five years (eligible for one re-appointment); the Executive Director must cease to hold office on listed grounds; the Minister may remove the Executive Director on the Board's recommendation for misbehavior or misconduct.

The Board shall appoint officers and staff of the Authority on the advice of the Executive Director, and those officers shall hold office on terms the Board may determine.

The Authority must act independently in performing its functions and exercising its powers, subject to declared Government policy and other provisions in the Act; the Authority must comply with written policy directives from the Minister; the Authority must not be subject to direction or control by any person or organ.

The Minister may give written directions to the Authority about policy; the Authority must comply; such directions must not undermine the Authority's independence; and the Minister must publish a copy in the Gazette.

Establishes the Uganda National Meteorological Authority and sets its corporate status, supervision, seal authentication, property and contractual powers, and execution rules for instruments.

The Authority (Uganda National Meteorological Authority) is given a broad set of functions including establishing observation networks and forecasting centres, applying meteorology across sectors, conducting research and training, managing the National Climate Data Bank and setting standards; it may also create a framework for paid aeronautical meteorological services at commercial rates determined by regulations.

The Authority is governed by a Board composed of a Chairperson and six other members appointed by the Minister with Cabinet approval; at least one-third of appointed members must be women; the Minister must consider candidates' technical experience or qualifications; the Minister appoints the Chairperson from among those members; the Executive Director acts as Secretary and is an ex officio member.

Persons with listed disqualifications must not be appointed to the Board; Board members must be of high moral character, proven integrity, qualified under section 5(4), and hold office under the terms of their instruments of appointment.

The Board shall perform functions including approving annual plans and budgets (to be assented by the Minister), monitoring implementation of plans and programmes, overseeing financial and asset management, reviewing structure and staffing, making and approving staff appointments, and advising the Minister on meteorological matters and related legislation, international obligations, services, development plans and financial estimates.

Sets terms, removal grounds, resignation, and notification obligations for Board members: members serve three years (eligible for one re-appointment), may resign with at least one month's notice, the Minister may remove members for listed grounds, institutions may withdraw their representative, and the Chairperson must notify the Minister of vacancies within one month.

When a Board member's seat becomes vacant, the Chairperson (or the Secretary if the Chairperson's seat) must notify the Minister, and the Minister must appoint another person to serve the unexpired portion of the term.

The Authority's funds come from specified sources and the Authority may apply those funds to pay its expenses, liabilities and remuneration under the Act.

The Authority may borrow money, with the approval of the Minister and the Minister responsible for finance, from any source to meet its obligations or discharge its functions under the Act.

The Board may determine how to invest any of the Authority's surplus monies after consulting the Minister and the Minister responsible for finance.

The Executive Director must prepare and submit annual income and expenditure estimates to the Board within three months before each financial year-end; the Board must submit those approved estimates to the Minister within two months of receipt.

The Authority's financial year must be the same as the Government's financial year.

The Executive Director must prepare, submit to the Minister, and publish a statement of accounts each financial year (within three months after year end); must keep proper books and records; the statement must include specified accounts and any additional information the Minister may require in writing, subject to Board directions.

The Auditor General must audit and report on the Authority's accounts each financial year.

Anyone who destroys, damages or interferes with meteorological equipment installed under section 16 commits an offence and can be fined up to 120 currency points or imprisoned up to five years; the court may also order payment for replacement or repairs.

No person may carry out or attempt weather modification activities in Uganda unless they submit a written request for permission to the Executive Director in the prescribed form; if permission is granted they must submit reports and the Executive Director must keep records and publish summaries.

It is an offence for a person to knowingly and intentionally give false information about the weather.

A person must not obstruct any officer of the Authority from performing duties; doing so is an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding forty eight currency points or imprisonment not exceeding two years, or both.

Any person who, without written authorization from the Executive Director, makes weather observations, issues weather forecasts, or releases climate information to the public commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding forty eight currency points or imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.

Persons must not import meteorological equipment or tools into Uganda except under a licence issued by the Executive Director; contravention is an offence punishable by a fine up to forty eight currency points or up to two years' imprisonment and goods may be forfeited, and the Executive Director has powers to confiscate sub‑standard equipment and order prosecution.

Members of the Board, employees of the Authority, and persons acting under their directions are not personally liable for acts or omissions done in good faith while exercising functions under this Act.

The Board must from time to time determine the fees to be paid by the public for services rendered by the Authority.

The Board must, within three months after each financial year ends, prepare (or cause to be prepared) and submit to the Minister an annual report on the Authority's activities and operations for that financial year.

The Minister must, in each financial year, submit to Parliament the annual report on the activities and operations of the Authority within thirty days of receipt of the report from the Authority.

The Executive Director must keep a register of all submitted meteorological information and reports, and may release received reports and other information to the public upon payment of a fee determined by the Board.

The Minister may, with the approval of Cabinet and by Statutory Instrument, amend Schedule 1.

The Minister may make regulations, including regulating weather modification and prohibiting meteorological observations or weather modifications by unauthorized persons.

Assets and liabilities that were vested in the Department of Meteorology before the Act commenced are to be vested in the Authority on commencement, subject to existing interests, liabilities, obligations and trusts.

Persons employed in the Department of Meteorology immediately before this Act commenced must continue to be employed in that office.

The Authority must employ Meteorology Department staff who opted to serve on the Authority's effective date; Meteorology employees at commencement are entitled to terminal benefits and pensions under their existing terms and will cease to be staff of the Department of Meteorology.