Africa’s Biggest Problem is Importation, says Museveni

President Museveni has commissioned the Kawumu Tannery in Luweero District.

“This very venue was our battlefield at one time, and on March 12th 1985 right here, I directed Rwigyema, Saleh, and Kigongo (Moses) to form the Rwenzori front, which we used to launch attacks,” Museveni said on Friday.

“Later, I set up a demonstration farm exactly here to help our people understand my agenda that we can earn big from operating in a small space (4 acres).”

He said the farm now employs 27 people who directly contribute to their household incomes.

Museveni further said that while he acknowledges that working on roads, electricity, schools, and hospitals is development, it does not necessarily translate to poverty alleviation.

Otherwise, he noted, people in Kampala would be rich, but they use the tarmac and they reach home to find poverty waiting.

“Therefore, we should eliminate what they call okusaka (importation), which is Africa’s biggest problem thus far. While we are busy talking about commercial agriculture and value addition, a muzukulu somewhere is ordering hair from dead people abroad,” the president pointed out.

“This means that all our efforts to export and bring money here will be undone by this person badly in need of importing hair from dead people abroad.”

“We are losing dollars, we are losing bargains in the market and most importantly, we are losing jobs. We used to import beer for the drunkards here, I noticed this was wrong, I said let’s produce the alcohol here and we did. Now, alcohol will be the death of some of you, but from here.”

Museveni said he would do the same for paper importation.

“I want to start this battle on those importing papers too. This is the exact basis for this Kawumu Tannery; imagine we were importing leather from China? China! What do they know about cattle that the Balaalo here do not know?” he wondered.