Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has expressed his anger with East African Community (EAC) member states for blocking exports from Uganda.

Museveni blamed EAC countries for imposing non-tariff barriers on exports from Uganda, adding that such policies were unwarranted. 

The Ugandan president made the remarks on December 31, 2023 in Kampala while delivering his new year message to the nation.

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He said that leaders who were imposing non-tariff barriers on goods from EAC member states were doing so for selfish gains, adding that they will be exposed soon. 

“We shall continue discussing with our East African Community partners and am sure we shall end up with the real common market free of non-tariff barriers.

“Because those barriers hurt residents of all our countries. I have given you a simple example of banning rice. You hurt the Ugandan consumers, you hurt the Tanzanian producers. 

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“So if there is mobilization, actually some people think they will get popularity out of that, but if you get good mobilization, those doing that can really be exposed,” said President Museveni.

However, the Ugandan president did not name the countries that were imposing the non-tariff barriers on goods from Uganda. 

Meanwhile, Kenya recently blocked Uganda’s milk products from entering into the market. On the other hand, Museveni rejected his Trade Minister’s proposal of blocking Kenyan products, insisting that it was against regional integration.

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“The National Resistance Movement (NRM) will never be part of those blind policies. Some of the Uganda business people cite the non-tariff barriers practices by other countries because they tell me other countries are doing it.

“If they are doing it, that is their mistake, I will not be part of that. Of letting down the African people,” he said.