How Coffee Amendment Bill Was Passed Amid Fistfights And Suspensions?

Parliament passed the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024, effectively dissolving the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).

The Bill, which reshapes the country’s coffee regulatory framework, was passed during a plenary sitting on Wednesday, November 6th, 2024, amid heightened tensions and a walkout led by the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP) Joel Ssenyonyi.

The Fistfight

The morning session began with opposition legislators, clashing on the floor shortly after State Minister for Works Musa Ecweru introduced a separate bill, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Repeal Bill, 2024, distinct from the controversial Coffee Bill.

Before the house took shape, MPs including LoP Ssenyonyi, Kira Municipality’s Ssemujju Nganda, and Francis Zaake shot up to raise what they termed as a matter of national importance.

Ssenyonyi required the speaker to “excuse, and rescues yourself” from presiding over the matter because of a “conflict of interest”, and utterance of tribal statements.”

Ssemujju raised his worry about the heavy and unprecedented deployment of uniformed and plain closed security operatives in and around parliament, while Zaake stood to claim that he had sighted a security operative manning a speaker, armed with a gun.

The speaker dealt with all issues raised and ordered the search of the said security operatives by the sergeant-at-arms, which exercise, did not find the gun.

So, when Zaake went behind to assume his seat, he found it occupied by his counterpart Anthony Akol (Kilak South, FDC), and Zaake chose to push Akol off the seat, forcefully, provoking Akol to angrily respond with multiple punches until his victim fell on the floor.

Earlier, the Speaker had invoked Rule 9 and declared a free sitting, given the huge number of MPs who were in the Chambers, a thing that discomforted opposition MPs, including Zaake.

As the chaos grew, the Speaker fled the chambers under the guard of her security detail to allow normalcy to return.

House Suspended

Twice Speaker Anita Among, first for 30 minutes following a Zaake-Akol scuffle suspended the sitting.

Following the first suspension, the Speaker returned to announce a second suspension and ordered the removal of 12 MPs, including Zaake and Akol, for inciting violence.

Others suspended are; Wakayama Musoke, MP Nansana Municipality; Shamim Malende, Kampala Woman MP; Susan Mugabi, Kalangala District Woman MP; Isaiah Sasaga, MP Budadiri West; Evans Kanyike, MP Bukoto East; Asinasi Nyakato, Hoima City Woman MP; Frank Kabuye, MP Kassanda North; and, Charles Tebandeke, MP Bbaale County; Aloysius Mukasa, MP Rubaga North; and Derrick Nyeko, MP Makindye East.

“I am proceeding to name and suspend these members for three consecutive sittings,” ruled Among who also invoked Rule 88 (2) to decree their immediate departure.

Walk-out Protest

The opposition then walked out in protest over alleged mistreatment by security and restrictions on journalists, who were initially removed from the press gallery.

In leading them into a protest, Ssenyonyi condemned the handling of opposition MPs and the press, stating, “Members can’t be bundled up, beaten up in this House; the Media was thrown out as if a crime was being committed.”

After the second resumption, with a resounding presence of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs, the House proceeded with the contentious National Coffee Bill, ultimately passing it with 305 votes in favour.

Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze rose to express gratitude for the bill’s passage, assuring that the Ministry would work to strengthen the coffee sector.

“Coffee is indeed our premium beverage in this country. We shall continue to support the value chain, ensuring that Uganda’s coffee reaches international markets and that quality control is maintained,” Tumwebaze said.

The opposition, particularly MPs from coffee-growing regions, strongly opposed the dissolution of UCDA, arguing that Uganda risks losing international certifications vital for its coffee exports.

They argued that UCDA’s 32-year legacy was key to maintaining standards and ensuring global competitiveness. In response, the government assured that the Ministry’s new coffee department would retain expertise and ensure smooth transitions.

In the days preceding the vote, opposition MPs and coffee farmers, supported by Buganda Kingdom representatives, voiced concerns, chanting “Museveni, leave our coffee.” Their efforts to block the bill from proceeding to the committee stage miserably failed after they were outvoted 159 to 77.

Adding to the controversy, President Yoweri Museveni met with the NRM caucus days earlier, reportedly warning opposition MPs against obstructing the rationalization process.

Tight Security

At Parliament, all MPs, including the Speaker, her Deputy Thomas Tayebwa, and the Commissioners of Parliament were all subjected to intensive security checks upon entry to Parliament, which was unprecedented. The same was done to LoP Ssenyonyi.

So, in responding to Ssemujju’s worry about the unusual security deployment at parliament, the Speaker said that among others, the deployment was occasioned by the presence of EALA Parliament’s sessions to ensure security for both visiting EALA MPs, and Ugandan MPs, and staff. She went on to inform the house that she had also been checked, as other MPs.

After the passage of the coffee bill, the speaker gave a ruling on issues earlier raised by the LoP.

Regarding her “conflict of interest” claims by LoP, which were followed by a request to apologize, the Speaker, insisted that she had done nothing wrong, and ruled out any possibilities for apologizing, instead saying that her statements were taken “out of context.”

“If anybody feels I said what the Leader of Opposition claims, they should present documentary evidence then I will apologize to affected persons…,” she said.

Regarding the request for her to excuse herself from chairing the debate on the coffee bill, the speaker said, that the rule, which Ssenyonyi quoted, was misplaced, affirming that she is not bound by the said rule because she is not a member of parliament, but a speaker of Parliament who does not debate, or take a decision through voting.

The Bill’s passage marks a significant shift in Uganda’s coffee industry, as oversight transitions to a new department within the Agriculture Ministry, amid continued debate over the impact on Uganda’s coffee standing on the international stage.