The ongoing persistent increase in sugar prices, is undoubtedly a national concern. At some point, in some places, the prices shot to a whooping 8000 Uganda Shillings per kilogram. It has not exempted any Ugandan – even the swagg-nificent campusers.
Amos, a student from Uganda Christian University Mukono, confided in me,
“Hell yeah… I am definitely perplexed. I was so shocked I bought 1kg at sh. 4800, and just after four days I bought the same 1kg at sh. 6000.”
I was still nursing the shock from Amos’ plight, until my shock was also shocked by Michael’s story,
“I honestly cannot afford to buy sugar at sh. 8000. The only sweet taste my tongue can now ably afford is that of sweet potatoes. In fact I once considered drinking hot water with sugarcane for tea.” The Ndejje University student lamented.
However, it is a different story in MUBS; perhaps most students there are well-acquainted with the status quo of the Nakawa cost of living. Bella, a student at the said university, explained,
“I have not yet been affected. My roommate and I stocked sugar at the beginning of the semester; all the crisis stories are news to us.”
In Makerere University, the situation is bittersweet. Mukiga, a renown shopkeeper in Mitchell hall, says,
“I took close to a fortnight, without stocking sugar. Since I’m very aware of the financial stand of my customers, I had to wait for them to be aware of the market price; so that they don’t think I am cheating them.”
“Mukiga’s situation isn’t in any way different from that of Justus, the shopkeeper in Mary Stuart Hall, in the same University.” Remarked Martha, a resident of Mary Stuart Hall.
Many economics students are advising fellow campusers to stop buying sugar till the market forces stabilize, but not everyone is willing to abide. Cosmas, a Bachelor of Commerce student seems not to have felt the itch as yet; he overtly smirked while saying,
“I can never drink tea without sugar; that’s an abomination. I will continue to buy the sugar even if a quarter of a kilogram skyrockets to 10,000 Uganda shillings.”
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