Museveni Blasts fuel importation middlemen, underlines strategies to overcome their dubious deals

By Evans Najuna

KAMPALA – Uganda has and is currently facing a challenge of fuel importation because of it’s geographic nature as being a Landlocked country. Though not being alone in East Africa, the same problem is also faced by Rwanda and Burundi. However according to President Museveni, Kenya and Tanzania perhaps have been facing the same because of fuel importation dealers.

While in his communication to the Bazukullu on Sunday evening, the President of Uganda who explained that among many other issues that have been affecting Uganda since 1986 has been the issue of being overcharged (kuseerwa) for the Petroleum products from abroad. Museveni said that, when they (NRA/M) came to power, they assumed that the Civil Servants would deal with money, administration, procurement and others, while (NRA/M) would deal with policy, ideology, strategy, security and others.

He highlighted that, in a number of cases, these wonderful People, really let down their country. Museveni talked about the issue of importation of petroleum products, saying that Uganda imports petroleum products to the magnitude of 2.5billion litres per annum valued at about US$ 2bn. “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 wondered.

The President questioned why not buy from the Refineries abroad and transport through Kenya and Tanzania, cutting out the cost created by middlemen? Noting that those involved were not bothered by these issues.

Museveni revealed that, some few years ago, he got to know this information from whistle-blowers and handed the matter to Minister Kituttu to handle. To his suprise, about a year ago, he got to know that the matter was never handled. He added that when he studied the issue, it was discovered that the Country lose so much by buying through the middlemen. Museveni gave an example on a check on one occasions a few months ago, showed that the middlemen were selling to these petroleum products at these prices as indicated per tonne; Diesel – Middlemen’s price = $118; Price from bulk suppliers or Refiners -$83. While Petrol from middlemen’s price -$97.5, Bulk suppliers or Refiners’ price – $61.5 and Kerosene from middlemen’s price – $114, Bulk suppliers or Refiners’ price – $79

Mr. Museveni added that, 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 said.

He informed the Country that, the government has now contracted bulk and Refinery suppliers to be able to give the Country at 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” Museveni said.

He further revealed that the internal parasites who have been cheating their country, have launched a social–media and mainstream media campaign against this liberation- resistance plan against okuseerwa (being over-charged), assisted by the ever pro-parasite paper known as Monitor. Warning them that as usual, they are ready to confront the parasites.

Further still on this issue, the President said that his Kenyan counterpart President Ruto is handling the Kenyan part. “I salute his contribution. In a few years’ time, our Refinery will be up and running” said Museveni.
Conclusively, the president assure the Inland East Africans of competitive petroleum products, free of distributions caused by middlemen. Adding that the whole of Uganda, North- Western Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Western Kenya, South Sudan and Eastern DRC, will benefit.