Museveni’s plan for the economy entails manufacturing everything from Uganda as compared to imports.
While the majority of Ugandans have predicted doom for the economy in the coming months the President has expressed optimism.
Addressing the nation at the international labor day celebrations from the statehouse in Entebbe, the president said its high time Ugandans started depending on themselves for the economy to grow.
Museveni declared that he is not in a panic and neither is he pessimistic in any way.
The president lists a number of products imported that would otherwise be made in Uganda,
He said Uganda will start with the manufacturing of leather products.
”The government gave my office some small money for manufacturing. The one we are going to start with is leather. Ugandans have been importing shoes and handbags” he said.
Museveni also warned on importing clothes and asked that Ugandans instead support those making them here in Uganda and Africa.
He indicated that Uganda is giving away a lot of money in importing textiles. He says the figures for textile imports are very high.
He said food will be needed whether there’s an epidemic or war.
Museveni indicated that there is a lot of potential in food production & value addition, citing an example of Milk is being processed and exported to the USA while cassava is processed into tablets.
The president also hinted on Milk that spent several weeks in factories after Kenya blocked its exportation saying a Ugandan investor has since been contracted to buy the milk for production of other products from its casein component.
Museveni also ordered the halt to importation of animal feeds. He wondered why Uganda is still importing animal feeds yet the country is rich in maize.
‘That should stop. There will be no more importation of animal feeds.” Museveni said
The president said instead of importing a lot of medicines Uganda will support local companies to make these medicines.
He encouraged that Uganda pays scientists better because of their input in the various sectors of education, health, pharmaceuticals, and if the country is to stabilize, it must first stabilize our scientists.
”We are mishandling our scientists. This must stop. The scientists must be paid and I’m tired of begging. The other time in my caucus I brought the idea but one of my young MPs said, “they are all teachers”-
He said it is Ugandan scientists at the frontline in the fight against COVID 19 and the clearance of the dam which had engineers on site.
Museveni has also assured Ugandans that defense weapons will no longer be imported but manufactured in Uganda.
” We are going to rely on ourselves to make the weapons we need for defense. Our ancestors were not importing spears and arrows. They made them here. So, why can’t we make our weapons here” Museveni said
