Commodity prices: Museveni to deploy spies to trace dubious traders

President Museveni on Tuesday said he would cancel licences of traders who are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic, to hike prices of food and other essential goods.

Describing such traders as crooks, Mr Museveni said he would deploy his intelligence teams to trace merchants who have hiked commodity prices.

“I hear there are crooks hiking the prices of food. I will send my spies to the market and if I find anybody hiking the prices, I will cancel their licences,” he said.

Mr Museveni said: “Nothing has changed for you to overcharge. We produce food here. If you hike the prices of food, I may have to mobilise NRM cadres to go to villages and bring food here; and they leave these crooks of Kampala,” he said.

He was making his fourth briefing to the nation about the Covid-19 pandemic, at State House Nakasero.

He also warned traders taking advantage of the pandemic, to hike prices for hand sanitizers, saying members of the public should abandon the overpriced and overrated hand sanitisers and use soap.  

According to him, washing hands with soap is better than using sanitisers.

“There are crooks who are hiking the price of the sanitisers. I want to tell you that you don't need sanitizers. You need water and soap to wash your hands. The soap will kill the virus. Those crooks should not hold you hostage,” he said.

Mr Museveni said is happy that doctors have managed to treat the first person who tested positive for coronavirus.

He said he spoke to the medics who assured him that the patient’s temperature has been stabilised.

“The first victim's temperature has come down and his appetite is coming back. His red eyes are clearing too,” he said.

He said that suspect Covid-19 patients who are trying to hide are endangering themselves and others, because the disease is not like Ebola and can be treated.

The President, however, said he’s still worried about public transport as far as fighting the disease is concerned.

“I am monitoring the situation, let us see these people who left the airport and how the problem will grow to consider suspending public transport,” he said.

He said if Uganda had enough bicycles, he would have suspended public transport in towns.