IT IS NOT TRUE THAT POVERTY LEVELS HAVE CONTINUED TO DECLINE IN UGANDA

Reports which are not realistic cannot help the people of Uganda. The report released by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development which indicated that poverty levels among Ugandans have continued to decline, is may be a mere academic document, not real given the position on ground. The Government of Uganda has to be real, the people are not making a joke of it to have walk to work. The mess by whoever which made Uganda currency get devalued through the time of preparations for the 2011 General elections has impacted on the country so negatively, in that there is no need of cooking figures. The truth is just by anybodies nose. The truth is that many goods and service costs have doubled or more than doubled given the prices in 2010, and for majority of the population more so the fixed income earners, there has nor been a corresponding increase in the salaries/wages they get. When you visit eating places, the trend is that customers have reduced given the increasing cost of living. I am of the opinion that the country benefits much more when what is on ground is properly rflected. William Kituuka Kiwanuka UGANDA'S POVERTY LEVELS DECLINE - REPORT Wednesday, 09 May 2012 09:58 By Julius Businge A recent Poverty Status Report released by Uganda’s Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development indicates that poverty levels among Ugandans have continued to decline, a trend that gives hope that the country’s economy will continue to grow. According to the 100 page report titled reducing vulnerability, equalising opportunities and transforming livelihoods, the country’s poverty levels have been on the downward trend since 1992 except in 2002/03 when a survey indicated that poverty levels had gone up. The number of those (people) who are absolutely poor stood at 9.9 million (56.4%) in 1992/93, the number reduced to 7.4million (33.8%) in 1999/2000, the number however went up slightly to 9.3million (38.8%) in 2002/03 but then it (number) reduced to 8.5million (31%) in 2005/06 and now the number has slowed to 7.5million (24.5%) in 2009/10. Speaking at the official launch of the report at Hotel Africana in Kampala on May 8, Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka said the reduction in the poverty levels was partly attributed to the reduction in the number of households relying mainly on subsistence agriculture. “There is an emerging group of Ugandans that can now be classified as being the middle class,” she said. Kiwanuka said the new middle class are relatively secure and they have the ability to invest in a brighter future for their children and for Uganda. “They will drive faster economic growth, helping to pull up those currently remaining in poverty,” she added.