By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
NATIONAL
President Museveni’s frequent letters on the rationalization of Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) have stirred criticism, both from coffee farmers and other stakeholders.
Since the first reading of the controversial National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024 on the floor of parliament last week, the president has penned down three consecutive letters in which he emphasized that the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) under his brother Gen. Salim Saleh aka Caleb Akandwanaho has done more than what UCDA, has done in improving coffee productivity and marketability.
“If UCDA and NAADS were successful, why were 68% of the homesteads still outside the money economy by 2013? OWC did much more work than NAADS and UCDA and CDO combined. In the Masaka area, Col. Nsamba, has distributed 1,000,074, coffee seedlings and caused the planting of 38,666.6 acres of coffee. OWC also gave out other planting and breeding materials: tea, fruits, pigs, cassava, etc., etc. That is how, for the first time in the history of Uganda, the number of the households in the money economy, is now 67% and those outside the money economy are 33%,” Museveni said.
“It is, therefore, fraudulent for NAADS, UCDA, etc., to claim that the big boost in Agricultural production is because of their efforts and that if they are not there, production will suffer.” he emphasized.
The president further alleged that opposition politicians and some farmers are trying to tribalize the bill, and that they are being influenced by foreign powers. He threatened to investigate whether the anti-rationalization advocates are indeed influenced by external forces.
“To be condemned, are those who I hear try to bring in the nonsensical tribalism. When Katikkiro Mayiga joined us in promoting coffee, we welcomed him. However, as OWC demonstrated, we were already moving…It is, therefore, sheer dishonesty, to bring up tribalism where the NRM is involved. The massive industries the NRM has built, are mainly in Buganda-Namanve, Mukono, Kapeeka, Matugga- Gombe area, Luwero Industries in Nakasongola, Kisozi, etc. These have direct benefit to nearby populations if they are well guided to take advantage of them,” Museveni said.
In response, the opposition Uganda People’s Congress said the President is under pressure and panicking to write three letters frequently within 72 hours.
“You can’t write three letters in 3 days, it’s very embarrassing and before you know it, we shall see him (the president) calling a press conference,” said UPC.
Sharon Arach Oyat, spokesperson for the UPC, advises President Yoweri Museveni to consider the majority of Ugandans’ disapproval regarding the potential merger of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) with the Ministry of Agriculture. She raised concerns that past agency mergers have fallen short of citizen expectations, casting doubts on UCDA’s future and Uganda’s coffee production.
“It is very unfortunate that the head of State of the Republic of Uganda has not recognized that the people of Uganda have rejected the integration of of UCDA into the ministry and that explains why he is writing all these letters to justify his decision and yet Ugandans have stood up and said no to merging UCDA to MAAIF,” Arach said.
There are growing worries surrounding the impact of such a merger on the coffee industry, which is a significant contributor to Uganda’s economy. Addressing journalists at Democratic Party headquarters on Tuesday, Ismail Kiirya, Acting DP Spokesperson opposed the UCDA merger stating that the ministry do not have capacity to oversee coffee farmers. He called on stakeholders such as religious and cultural leaders to challenge this bill.
“We take this opportunity therefore to call upon all the stake holders to come together on the issue of UCDA to challenge it at whatever level in there capacity because the issue of coffee in Uganda is not for a particular ethnic group, cultural institution, region etc but it’s for all Ugandans,” Kiirya said.
Buganda Speaks Up
Buganda Parliamentary Caucus legislators led by their chairman, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi say the merger will have serious implications on Uganda’s economy.
“For the last 40 years, President Museveni has been gambling with the economy. He started with barter trade—where is it now? Now he wants to control coffee,” Kivumbi said, expressing concern over Museveni’s handling of economic policies.
The Katikkiro of Buganda, Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga also criticized Museveni’s proposal to dissolve UCDA arguing that the merger will not only affect the country’s coffee sector but also on rural livelihoods which rely on coffee. He emphasized global market trends, noting that top coffee-producing nations continue to export raw coffee beans, “Kase,” to Europe and the United States, where consumers prefer freshly ground coffee.
“Selling our coffee without value addition results in lower earnings” said Mayiga.
Many stakeholders have tasked the government to retain UCDA and increase its funding to realize more gains.
