President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has attributed the hike in fuel prices in Uganda to people who buy huge quantities of petroleum products from middlemen in Kenya.
In a statement issued today, President Museveni said that when they came into government, they assumed that the Civil Servants would deal with money, administration, procurement, etc., and as leaders they would deal with policy, ideology, strategy, security, among others, however the former have let down the people of Uganda.
“However, in a number of cases, these wonderful People, really let down their country. Take the issue of importation of petroleum products. Uganda imports petroleum products of the magnitude of 2.5billion litres per annum valued at about US$ 2bn,”President Museveni said.
“Without my knowledge, our wonderful People, were buying this huge quantity of petroleum products from middlemen in Kenya. A whole country buying from middlemen in Kenya or anywhere else!! Amazing but true,” he added.
He wondered why these people do not buy from Refineries abroad and transport through Kenya and Tanzania, so that they cut out the cost created by middlemen.
The President further stressed that a few years ago, he directed the then Energy Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu to handle the issue but the matter was not dealt with.
“Some few years ago, I got to know this information from whistle-blowers. I handed the matter to Minister Kituttu to handle. About a year ago, I got to know that the matter was never handled. When I studied the issue, I discovered that we lose so much by buying through the middlemen,” he said.
“A check on one occasion a few months ago, showed that the middlemen were selling us petroleum products at prices as indicated below per tonne: Diesel: Middlemen’s price – $118; Price from bulk suppliers or Refiners -$83; Petrol: Middlemen’s price -$97.5; Bulk suppliers or Refiners’ price- $61.5; Kerosene: Middlemen’s price – $114; Bulk suppliers or Refiners’ price – $79. These are prices when the products have arrived at the East African Ports. You can see the huge loss Uganda has been incurring on account of our wonderful People.”
On the other hand, President Museveni revealed that they have already contracted bulk and Refinery suppliers able to give Uganda the lower prices.
“I have discussed this with H.E Ruto, the President of Kenya and our delegation is now in Dar-es-Salaam, discussing with Her Excellency Samia Suluhu.”
He however expressed concern over the “internal parasites” who have launched a social–media and mainstream media campaign against government’s liberation- resistance plan against okuseerwa (being over-charged), assisted by the ever-pro-parasite paper known as Monitor.
“As usual, we are ready to confront the parasites. H.E Ruto is handling the Kenyan part. I salute his contribution. In a few years’ time, our Refinery will be up and running,” the President assured.
“I can assure the Inland East Africans of competitive petroleum products, free of distributions caused by middlemen. The whole of Uganda, North- Western Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Western Kenya, South Sudan and Eastern DRC, will benefit.”
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