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

President Museveni has said "it would be a huge mistake by his government to ban importation of processed rice from Tanzania."

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

This follows fresh disputes that have erupted between rice sector actors and officials of the Trade Ministry 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 mounting pressure to ban rice imported from Tanzania, Museveni said the move would push Tanzania to banning several Ugandan exports.

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

According to him, banning Tanzania rice implies four severe mistakes, including crippling the survival of Tanzania’s rice growers, punishing Uganda’s consumers as well as disadvantaging Ugandan rice growers and producers.

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

Museveni repeatedly indicated that the ban would punish Ugandans, forcing them to buy expensive rice produced by a few growers.

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

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