Government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo has railed against some Ugandans who have responded to President Museveni’s statements regarding increasing commodity prices, claiming he used cassava as an example of what the public should use, because it is cheaper.
The government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo has lashed out at some Ugandans over comments they are raised following President Museveni’s statement regarding increasing commodity prices saying that he used cassava as an example to advise the public to turn to utilise locally available items because they are cheap.
While giving a speech at the Labour Day Celebrations last week, Museveni urged the Ugandans more so those who cannot afford over priced items such as bread to opt for cheaper alternatives including cassava.
“If there is no bread eat muwogo (cassava). Africans really confuse themselves. If you’re complaining that there’s no bread or wheat, please eat muwogo. I don’t eat bread myself,” he said people should stop complaining about the prices of commodities and rather resort to other alternatives.
“For me am not worried about them (increased prices). If we handled corona, what can we not handle,” he added.
This statement has since caused a series of criticism from many Ugandans relating it to the situation that happened in the 1879 French Revolution when Marie Antoniette, a wife to the then leader, King Louis XVI told people to buy cakes since bread was expensive at the time.
Others were also quick to quote a similar statement from the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Robinah Nabbanja who advised the country recently to use pawpaw leaves to wash their clothes due to the escalating soap prices.
However, while appearing on NBS TV’s frontline program, Opondo said by using cassava as the baseline, the president was only trying to emphasize that since most commodities made from imported raw materials are expensive, they should switch to using those commodities that are grown and made from within the country.
‘’Cassava is readily available in the country. The President was just advising Ugandans to go for what is readily available,’’ Opondo said.
Meanwhile, in one of his tweets earlier this week, Museveni said the government is already negotiating with western countries to find a solution to the hikes.
“We shall find solutions. We are talking quietly to Western Europe and Russia. We shall brief you at the right time. I am not worried because we have a solution,” he tweeted.
