Minah Nalule
Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) spokesman Brig-Gen. Richard Karemire has disregarded allegations rotating social media platforms that the government is distributing food laced to people.
Karemire was addressing the nation on Monday, April 6, 2020, at Uganda Media Center in Kampala on the state of security in Uganda amidst COVID-19.
He stressed that the security forces are not inhumane and care about Ugandans adding that there is no reason to poison Ugandans using food.
“It is absolute rubbish for anyone to say the food being disturbed is poisonous as it’s being alleged on social media. We care about our people,” Brig Karemire said
Karemire asked the public to trash the rumors as lies from enemies of the people. The Brigadier noted that the government is merely reaching out and supporting people momentarily during these difficult times.
He also noted that the distribution of food is being done with the help of the local council authorities who help identify the vulnerable people in their societies.
According to him so far a total of 1,575, 934 and 715 families have already benefited from this exercise in the areas of Bwaise I, Bwaise II and Bwaise III respectively with maximum discipline being portrayed by the various recipients.
On Wednesday the Prime minister Dr.Ruhakana Rugunda revealed to parliament that the Office of the Prime Minister-OPM was planning to start the distribution of foodstuffs to a total of 1.5m vulnerable groups in Wakiso and Kampala including 6kgs of Maize flour,3kgs of beans per head, powdered milk for the Pregnant mothers 2kgs of sugar each person among other items.
He also indicated that the exercise would eventually roll out to other parts of the country.
