Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has called on the government to set up regional fuel reserves as a measure to cushion Ugandans against the impact of increasing fuel prices in the country.
She said that the reserves will also help cushion the country from eminent erratic fuel shortages.
The Speaker was responding to a statement by the Minister of State for Energy, Sidronius Okaasai, to the House on the unmitigated spike in fuel prices.
In his statement, Minister Okaasai said the global factors beyond Uganda’s making are behind the spike, and that there is not much his ministry can do.
However, this did not go down well with the legislators.
Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda (FDC, Kira Municipality) asked Minister Okaasai about the much talked about fuel reserves, saying short of solutions, Parliament should not entertain the statement.
In her guidance, Ms Among argued that whereas pricing in a free market economy like Uganda is dependent on demand and supply, the government should devise means of preventing the erosion of disposable income of many Ugandans, which may lower their living standards.
She further asked the government to develop a tangible plan to scout around the hikes in prices, instead of folding hands and allowing market forces to determine what becomes of Ugandans.
