By Herbert Ssempogo

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni on Thursday said stealing drugs from the Government hospitals was equal to murder and warned that the culprits would face the law.

“In some places, drugs that would have been in a Government hospital are sold in people’s pharmacies. Thieves have been stealing drugs, but do not worry. We are going to sort that out,” said Museveni, who was addressing residents of Lusanja in Kapeeka sub-county, Nakaseke district, where he wound up a two-day Prosperity-for-all exercise.

He cited Nakeseke as one of the areas where drug theft was rampant, adding that he had received a report about the vice.

The Government, he added, had trained a team to monitor activities of corrupt officers, with a view of arresting and prosecuting them.

“It took us five years to remove the Obote government. This problem where people use trickery to steal money, will also be sorted out,” Museveni warned.

His comments came a day after three officials in the health ministry appeared in court on corruption charges.
Earlier, he had toured David Nsereko’s acre of banana plantation and a zero grazing cattle project. The President gave him sh3m to expand his activities.

Following complaints that the price of maize had gone down lately, he promised that the Government would devise means to provide market.

Museveni said he had instructed the finance minister, Syda Bbumba, to provide maize mills since maize flour is easier to sell.

However, he advised residents to diversify so that their income is not affected in times of low prices.

Nakaseke district MP Syda Bbumba disclosed that all LC1 chairpersons would get bicycles to ease their movement.

LC5 boss Ignatius Koomu complained that patients in hospitals in the area were too poor to afford meals.