The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni will address the country on television and radio to mark the International Labour Day. The annual celebrations will this time not be held due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Museveni is expected to hail the health workers for Uganda’s effort to contain the pandemic, and outline government measures to assist the labour force and employers struggling to retain them.
Minister of Gender, Labour and social development Frank K Tumwebaze early this week attended a virtual meeting of African Labour ministers where they discussed how the COVID-19 response should prioritize social protection of society’s most prone groups. The Ministes talked of occupational safety and health of workers.
LIVE UPDATE
- National anthems sung. Workers anthem sung bu Usher Owere, chairman General of National Organization Of Trade Union(NOTU)
- Minister of Minister of Gender, Labour and social development Frank K Tumwebaze makes statement
- Tumwebaze – Since COVID-91 affecting workers and employers, both parties need to negotiate and discuss
- Tumwebaze – If workers laid off, they should follow the law
- Tumwebaze – NSSF cannot work outside the law
- Tumwebaze – Rise of domestic violence. Family violence is a criminal case
- Museveni – Says world has two type of economies, one for survival, and the other for pleasure
- Museveni – Majority of Ugandans are in the survival economy
- Museveni – Outlines key needs of food, clothing, security, medicine and shelter
- Museveni – The economy of survival and livelihood is not so vulnerable, and not as sensitive as the other, like tourism
- Museveni – No more importation of animal feeds, no need because we can produce it locally
- Museveni – Sugar was a problem. Uganda does not produce Industrial grade sugar, yet we have sugar cane being unused in Busoga
- Museveni – Milk another key area Uganda can benefit from. Can be used for medicine and baby foods
- Museveni – Cassava and maize can be used for medicines – Industrial grade starch
- Museveni – Food and clothing sector can provide a lot of jobs. Let us stop imports of clothes, support import substitution and support exports in Africa. The global demand for clothes worldwide is good
- Museveni – All importation leads to loss of jobs
- Museveni – Pay scientists well first. With Corona, the doctors are on the frontline. Let’s first stabalize our scientists, this gives us a lot of happiness. We are mishandling our scientist. It must stop.
- Museveni – I am not pessimistic about the economy. Some sectors will suffer, others will boom even better than before
- Museveni – Government to help boost manufacturing sector. We will start leather. We have 14 million cows, but we import shoes, handbags, importing all leather. Industrial grade sugar and starch will be areas of focus.
- Museveni – Very soon we will require many people to put on masks
- Museveni – We will increase the capital base of UDB so that they can led to our industrialists
- Museveni – If we go through this, even the fair weather sectors like Tourism will get a boost
- Museveni – Let employers desist from laying off workers, but consider sending workers on leave
