President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni blamed middlemen for the decision to end the fuel importation deal from Kenya.
Museveni in a statement dated Sunday, November 5, stated that the issue was created by top officials from his government who had negotiated with middlemen in Kenya to overcharge Uganda.
“When we came into Government, we assumed that the Civil Servants would deal with money, administration, procurement, etc., and we would deal with policy, ideology, strategy, security, etc. However, in a number of cases, these wonderful People, really let down their country,” he wrote.
The President cited the prices of different petroleum products where the middlemen are earning more than 40 per cent profit from selling to Uganda.
“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,” he added.
Museveni wondered how his government was naive and continued to buy fuel from middlemen leading to losses and inflated prices.
“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 said.
“Why not buy from the Refineries abroad and transport through Kenya and Tanzania, cutting out the cost created by middlemen? Those involved were not bothered by these issues,” he said.
He said when he learnt of the level of exploitation, he decided to intervene.
“We have now contracted bulk and Refinery suppliers able to give us 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.
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