Museveni warns against giving relief food
What you need to know:
Mr Museveni made the remarks in Busoga sub-region while campaigning for the ruling NRM candidate in the Kamuli by-election held on Wednesday. During his time there, the President also launched a nationwide pesticide spraying campaign against the devastating armyworm that has attacked maize gardens in 53 districts
Kampala:
President Museveni has warned that spending money on relief food might force government to halt key government infrastructure projects.
Mr Museveni, who was addressing a rally at Bugadde Primary School in Kamuli District, said government should buy food only if there is no alternative.
“Relief food can be handed to you if there is no other way. This is because in order to buy food, we need to postpone a number of projects. So, when you eat food, you are eating a road. When you are eating, you will be eating kilometers of roads and wires of electricity,” Mr Museveni said.
He indirectly took a swipe at the former presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, and senior party officials who were last week blocked by police from distributing relief food in Teso sub-region. “Be careful about some politicians. They want to please you but in a dangerous way. Giving relief food must be done in a careful way,” the President added.
Hunger
Due to prolonged drought in different parts of the country, hunger has hit Isingiro District and areas in Teso and Karamoja sub-regions.
Last year, government said at least 1.3 million people in various parts of the country needed food aid urgently after a dry spell destroyed harvests.
Mr Museveni made the remarks in Busoga sub-region while campaigning for the ruling NRM candidate in the Kamuli by-election held on Wednesday. During his time there, the President also launched a nationwide pesticide spraying campaign against the devastating armyworm that has attacked maize gardens in 53 districts.
Mr Museveni also toured and inspected a number of homesteads benefiting from the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), an army led agricultural campaign to support farmers engage in commercial agricultural activities to boost their household incomes.
In Kyityerera village, Mayuge District, the President inspected the late William Nkoko’s farm where zero grazing, poultry, coffee and orange production takes place.
