FDC Threaten to Rally Masses Against Fuel, Electricity Inflation

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has accused government for failure to deal with the increasing fuel and power prices in the country which is greatly affecting the lives of Ugandans.

Addressing the media on Monday at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, the party Spokesperson, Ibrahim Semujju Nganda said that the ever increasing prices reflect the lack of government commitment to improve the livelihood of Ugandans.

Semujju said that if government doesn’t come out to prevail over the prices, they will be left with no option but rally people to demonstrate against the economic injustice.

The current fuel prices in the country have in the past weeks shot high from Shs 3,650 to Shs 3,800 for Petrol and from Shs 3,100 to Shs 3,350 for Diesel. However, these prices differ at different petrol stations.

Fuel dealers have attributed the increased crude oil prices to the international market and the tension in Kenya during the recently concluded presidential polls.

“If you go up country to places like Arua, a litre of petrol is now nearly Shs 4,000 and the pump price in Kampala keeps changing; the moment fuel prices go up, commodity prices will also go up which will eventually be reflected in the cost of living,” Semujju said.

Semujju noted that unfortunately the fuel prices “in neighbouring countries like DR Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya” are not shooting high even when prices of crude oil internationally have gone high.

“But even when the cost went down, the prices of fuel in Uganda didn’t go down to reflect the changes in the international oil market,” Semujju observed.

Semujju observed that it is very unfortunate that after convincing Parliament for tax exemption for the construction of Bujagali power dam which was intended to reduce electricity prices, the prices have instead gone high.

He noted that government now buys power from Bujagali very expensively at USD 13 cents compared to USD 3 cents from other government owned dams.

“Government must now come out to arrest the situation or else we shall rally Ugandans to speak out against the rising prices,” he added.

Experts argue that Uganda would have avoided the scenario by storing more fuel in the reserves since the eventuality was projected to happen.