"We declined the request to increase money for fuel for public officers due to price increase. Everyone should live with the constrained budget like all other Ugandans are doing,” said Ramathan Ggoobi, the Secretary to the Treasury.
Besigye declined to disembark from the police van prompting the officers to drag him out. "Am not leaving," Dr. Besigye could be heard telling a police officer identified as Albert Muhumuza who was pushing him from the van.
Besigye noted that the president tried to cover his empty speech with lies and shifted the blame on the worsening economic crisis to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Prices of most products, imported and locally manufactured have been rising since late last year, and have since pushed the inflation rate from about 3.2 in November to 4.9 per cent in April. The most affected products are soap, cooking oil and other related products, while imports include fuel, wheat and fertilizer.