President Museveni Wednesday said Ugandan sports men and women who earned Uganda a gold medal at a continental level, commonwealth or Olympic games will be paid a monthly salary of Shs5 million.
According to the president, silver medalists in any of the three categories will each earn Shs3 million per month while bronze medalists will be paid Shs1 million.
“I made an order in 2013 that anybody who wins gold at a continental level, commonwealth or Olympics should be paid Shs5m per month all the time and Shs1 million for silver and bronze. It was not honored…I was told they are being paid quarterly. I didn’t say quarterly. I speak English very well. All their arrears will be paid. …what they should have been paid. And because I’m now a happy man. I will give each of these medalist a car. I will build for their parents a house each,” Mr Museveni said as he received Joshua Cheptegei (gold and silver medalist), Peruth Chemutai (gold medalist), Jacob Kiplimo (bronze), Halima Nakaayi and Winnie Nanyondo, among other Olympic athletes who returned from Tokyo, Japan yesterday.
The president also pledged a car for each of the medalists and a house for their parents.
“And because I’m now a happy man because of the medal I will give each of these medalist a car. I will build for their parents a house each,” he added.
Mr Museveni also chided critics who reportedly said Uganda earned the medals at the Olympics by a miracle.
According to the president, some of the reasons Uganda performed well and got medals at the Tokyo Olympics and the other sporting events in the recent past was because of the peace and Universal Primary Education (UPE) ushered in by his government.