Duncan Abigaba, a former aide of Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, has stirred an online debate after a statement claiming that Uganda has plenty of food unlike in Kenya.
Abigaba was responding to President William Ruto’s announcement of the construction of a grain hub at the port of Mombasa to solve food insecurity in East Africa.
President Ruto on September 19 held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He later announced that they had reached a deal with Ukraine on boosting East Africa’s food security.
In his statement, the former Assistant Director at State House Uganda said that his country produces excess food and as such the food insecurity concerns are a problem in Kenya only.
Moreover, Abigaba mentioned Kenya’s ban on Ugandan milk imports noting that Uganda has been left without a market to dispose of its excess produce.
“Uganda has nowhere to sell her excess milk, eggs, bananas, etc, and then there is President William Ruto forcing a food shortage on East Africa. Mr. President, this is a Kenyan problem. Kenya isn’t East Africa! Carry your Zelenskyy cross alone!” the statement read.
“Uganda produces excess; 400M liters of milk, 3M tons of maize, 160,000 tons of sugar, 400M eggs. This is what Kenya has blockaded!”
Also Read: Kenya Dairy Board Suspends Milk Powder Imports
Itumbi’s response on food insecurity
Subsequently, Abigaba’s remarks became a talking point among Kenyans on social media with various sixers weighing on the matter.
Among those who reacted was Dennis Itumbi, a digital strategist and Ruto’s ally, who brought to attention the situation in the Karamohong area of Uganda.
Furthermore, Itumbi cited an excerpt of an undated report that showed that the population in Karamojong had been adversely affected.
“The facts indicate there is an acute and widespread food problem in some parts of Uganda, like in other parts of EAC,” Itumbi replied.
Additionally, Kennedy Wandera- a journalist- commented noting that Abigaba’s concern emanated from Ruto’s meeting with Ukraine’s President at a time Museveni has been inclined towards Russia.
Also Read: Kenya Receives 30,000 Tonnes of Wheat from Ukraine
“I know your problem here is Ruto meeting Zelensky! You’ll be a very excited chap here if he met Putin, food shortages notwithstanding,” Wandera stated.
Further, another user said, “Ruto hasn’t forced Ugandans to consume Ukrainian grains. Plus, I see nothing wrong with the establishment of a regional grain depot in Mombasa.”
Museveni – Kenya Milk business
In March, the Kenya Dairy Board banned milk powder imports from Museveni’s country.
What’s more, in an interview in August, Ruto explained that some companies in Kenya took advantage to bring imported milk at the expense of Kenyan farmers.
However, the ban was translated by some quarters as a possible cause of a diplomatic spat with Uganda, Kenya’s largest trading partner.
