Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has stirred controversy by suggesting that eating chicken leads to instability, explaining his aversion to the delicacy.

In a widely shared address, Museveni asserted that he has refrained from consuming chicken for years, attributing this decision to the perceived character traits of those who indulge in chicken meat.

In addition to chicken, the Ugandan leader disclosed that he abstains from all forms of white meat, including fish, pig, and mutton, deeming them “haram.”

“Pig is haram, fish is haram…I don’t eat chicken because when you eat chicken, you become unstable. Chicken is a bird. I don’t eat mutton, I don’t eat all those things, so my list of haram is much longer,” he stated.

Museveni cited local communities as examples, noting that some refrain from consuming chicken while maintaining these birds for traditional religious practices.

He urged fellow Ugandans not to impose their beliefs on others and cautioned against infringing on people’s rights or attempting to control them.

“The difference with us here, with the people of this area, is that whatever beliefs I have, I don’t interfere with my neighbor if he has a different belief,” he emphasized.

Museveni asks Uganda to eat cassava if they cannot afford bread

This isn’t the first time Museveni has made unconventional dietary recommendations.

In May 2022, during Labor Day celebrations, he encouraged Ugandans to opt for cassava if they couldn’t afford bread, which had become more expensive due to disruptions in the global wheat supply.

“Why are Ugandans stressing themselves over bread when there are alternatives? If there’s no bread, eat cassava. Africans really confuse themselves. You are complaining that there’s no bread or wheat; please eat cassava. I don’t eat bread myself,” President Museveni quipped during his speech at the Kololo ceremonial grounds.

His remarks dashed the hopes of many Ugandans who had anticipated government measures to address the rising cost of living.