I'll never ban importation of cheap Tanzanian rice, says Museveni

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has stated, "It would be a huge mistake for my government to ban the importation of processed rice from Tanzania."

Museveni made these remarks while speaking at the commissioning of the 600MW Karuma Hydropower Dam at Karuma Cell, Karuma Town Council in Kiryandongo District on Thursday.

This statement follows fresh disputes between actors in the rice sector and officials from the Ministry of Trade over plans to issue permits for the duty-free importation of 100,000 metric tons of white rice, valued at approximately Shs199.7 billion.

Acknowledging the mounting pressure to ban rice imports from Tanzania, Museveni said such a move could provoke Tanzania to ban several Ugandan exports.

“When I was coming here, I was reading about some inefficient rice growers in Uganda complaining that I should ban Tanzania’s rice because it is too cheap, but I will never do that,” he emphasized.

According to him, banning Tanzanian rice would result in four severe consequences, including crippling the livelihood of Tanzanian rice growers, harming Ugandan consumers, and putting Ugandan rice growers and producers at a disadvantage.

“So, where do we end? I cannot be part of that blindness. It would also cripple Tanzanian rice growers, because if they grow rice and don’t have enough buyers, they will stop growing it, and their industry will collapse,” he explained.

Museveni repeatedly stressed that such a ban would punish Ugandans, forcing them to buy more expensive rice produced by a few local growers.

“That is a sin before God, and I would also be crippling Ugandan rice growers, who must be efficient and able to compete,” he stated.

He added, “You want a child to stand up and walk; you don’t carry them all the time. So why should Ugandan rice growers expect to be carried every time? I will not carry you, and if you cannot stand up, go to the disabled’s home.”