I won’t leave sugar trade - Otafiire
Sep 29, 2011
JUSTICE minister Maj. Gen Kahinda Otafiire has said he will continue with his sugar trade despite the presidential directive for manufacturers to stop selling sugar to politicians and speculators.
By Henry Sekanjako
JUSTICE minister Maj. Gen Kahinda Otafiire has said he will continue with his sugar trade despite the presidential directive for manufacturers to stop selling sugar to politicians and speculators.
On Monday, President Museveni directed trade and industry minister Amelia Kyambadde to ensure that factories stop selling sugar to politicians.
Museveni said some politicians were greedy speculators who charge exorbitant prices to consumers.
In an interview with journalists at Parliament yesterday, Otafiire said: “I am a businessman who deals in sugar and I will continue dealing in sugar. No one will stop me unless they want me to steal government money.â€
The minister, who disclosed that he had been in the trade for long, noted that he runs the sugar businesses within and outside the country, saying the trade cannot be controlled by Museveni.
“I sell my sugar to people with money not poor people,†he said.
Early this week, Otafiire moved to reclaim the 25 containers of sugar held in Mombasa, Kenya, which he had disowned about four years ago. The sugar worth sh986m had been lying at Mombasa since 2006.
Otafiire is said to be the director of Arua Mercantile Ltd, a firm behind the controversial sugar import.
In a statement from New Delhi, India on Tuesday, the President asked his deputy, Edward Ssekandi, Kyambadde and the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, to enforce the directive.
The President told Kayihura to liaise with the Attorney General to see how to discipline price speculators.
According to Kyambadde, sugar producers have agents that they deal with, but politicians were also increasingly picking sugar from factories to sell.
JUSTICE minister Maj. Gen Kahinda Otafiire has said he will continue with his sugar trade despite the presidential directive for manufacturers to stop selling sugar to politicians and speculators.
On Monday, President Museveni directed trade and industry minister Amelia Kyambadde to ensure that factories stop selling sugar to politicians.
Museveni said some politicians were greedy speculators who charge exorbitant prices to consumers.
In an interview with journalists at Parliament yesterday, Otafiire said: “I am a businessman who deals in sugar and I will continue dealing in sugar. No one will stop me unless they want me to steal government money.â€
The minister, who disclosed that he had been in the trade for long, noted that he runs the sugar businesses within and outside the country, saying the trade cannot be controlled by Museveni.
“I sell my sugar to people with money not poor people,†he said.
Early this week, Otafiire moved to reclaim the 25 containers of sugar held in Mombasa, Kenya, which he had disowned about four years ago. The sugar worth sh986m had been lying at Mombasa since 2006.
Otafiire is said to be the director of Arua Mercantile Ltd, a firm behind the controversial sugar import.
In a statement from New Delhi, India on Tuesday, the President asked his deputy, Edward Ssekandi, Kyambadde and the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, to enforce the directive.
The President told Kayihura to liaise with the Attorney General to see how to discipline price speculators.
According to Kyambadde, sugar producers have agents that they deal with, but politicians were also increasingly picking sugar from factories to sell.