President Yoweri Museveni on Friday described those complaining about the high cost of living in the country as sick people.
Presiding over the national celebrations to mark the international youth day in Arua town, the president said those complaining are against development.
Annoyed by the comments, the crowd that had gathered to listen to the president instead booed him. But Museveni continued and noted that some people are now saying the country has reached a point of crisis, which he said, is not true.
Museveni, in power for 25 years, asked the youth to rise against the enemies of development because they want to block employment opportunities for them.
According to the President many people are complaining over the rising cost of sugar, fuel and food stuffs but the prices are going up because there is now too much demand within the country and outside. He said people should instead take advantage of the prices to make more money other than complaining. By complaining, Museveni noted, they blocking opportunities for the youth and producers.
//Cue in: “people have been talking…”
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According to the President people should take advantage of the high prices to make money because it is an opportunity and challenge for them so that in future they will be prepared for such eventualities.
In Arua and other districts in West Nile, a kilogram of sugar costs between 6000 and 9000 shillings while fuel prices are between 4000 and 5000 shillings for diesel and petrol respectively. The price of food stuffs such as rice has jumped from 2000 to 3500 shillings per kilogram and cassava that used to be 300 shillings per kilogram is now 1500 shillings.
Museveni’s comments came after the youths complained that 68 percent of them are not employed and yet prices of everything have continued to go up without government intervention. Evelyn Anite, the youth MP for northern region said if most youth are not employed and are living desperate lives.
The youth asked Museveni to urgently address the problem of rising unemployment and establish youth employment fund, which demands the president said, cannot be addressed without the current focus on electricity, roads and education.
Doka Bayo, one of those attending the youth event lamented that the president abused them instead of addressing their problems.
Another resident, John Godo noted that in many homes today people go without sugar yet the president is calling them sick.
The international youth day is celebrated on August 12th every year. This year’s them was: “Accelerating youth empowerment through skills development.”
