Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni described his countrymen as ‘lazy’ during a meeting with the South African business community.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Tuesday, Museveni said that a favourable climate in the country had made the citizens work-shy.

"We at the equator, we have two rainy seasons that is why these Ugandans are lazy because life is very easy for them. You don't have to work very hard. Even a fool can survive in Uganda," he said according to the Daily Monitor.

According to the 78-year-old Head of State, the business environment in the East African country is conducive thus the people lack the push to do better.

Museveni's comments seemed to have surprised South African investors including his counterpart Ramaphosa, who was at the time pitching business opportunities.

It was not the first time the controversial leader has accused his countrymen of laziness before competitors.

During a tour in Northern Uganda in 2019, Museveni while addressing journalists criticized a section of Ugandans saying that God shunned lazy people.

He at the time encouraged Ugandans to wake up and get involved in activities that would increase household income and reduce poverty levels.

“I am here to again remind our people, especially the ones who are not well educated that you can get out of poverty through commercial farming on a small scale. However, even some of the educated do not know how to make money; they only know how to work for the government and for people,” he said.

“Our villagers do not have to remain unfocused and they can actually be involved but with proper planning. Those who are old enough remember that I once toured the whole country telling people that you people wake up, do modern farming and leave ancient ways of farming.”

Currently, statistics by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor rank Ugandans among the most entrepreneurial people globally who have also emerged as leaders in several disciplines at the regional and international levels, including in firms owned by South African companies.