The Coffee War: Buganda Premier Mayiga Opposes UCDA Rationalization
Amid the heated debate on rationalizing the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), the Buganda Kingdom has made its stance clear after a firm opposition to the government’s plan to merge the well-performing authority with the Ministry of Agriculture.
On Friday, October 25th at 11:45am, Buganda Kingdom Premier Charles Peter Mayiga took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice the Kingdom’s and coffee farmers’ concerns regarding the controversial government’s rationalization policy.
“The Kingdom of Buganda has severally advised against scrapping UCDA since it superintends coffee production, upon which nearly 2 million Ugandan households depend [on], Premier Mayiga emphasized in his X post.
He also pointed out that abolishing UCDA would unfairly punish the Baganda people, who contribute significantly to coffee exports.
“Apparently, scrapping UCDA is a punishment against Baganda, who contribute nearly 50% of coffee exports, since Speaker Anita Among (and those who support scrapping UCDA) see the Amendment Bill as a victory against Baganda!” Mayiga said.
This statement comes after Speaker Anita Among was caught on an unswitched-off Parliamentary chamber microphone during the debate’s debate, urging pro-bill politicians to deny Baganda MPs the numbers needed to defeat the bill,
However, Premier Charles reassured supporters of the bill that the “Emmwanyi Terimba Initiative would continue unabated.”
Among others, the Kingdom Premier with the blessing of King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II has actively been calling upon the people within the Kingdom to focus on improving their livelihoods through planting coffee on their land.
These efforts have already, significantly impacted the livelihoods of the King’s subjects, improving household economic status and national coffee production capacity through outreach programs in all 18 Kingdom counties.
Charles thus rallied coffee growers to prioritize their livelihoods over politicians’ motives.
“I urge Baganda [and other Ugandans] to continue growing coffee; your livelihood is more important than the motives of present-day politicians,” he said, and signed out as CPM.
During the consecutive sittings, the UCDA rationalization debate has sparked fierce resistance among MPs, who fear for the coffee industry’s future, asserting that it could fall the same fate as cotton, and tobacco.
Parliament’s contentious debate on the National Coffee Amendment Bill led to its adjournment sine die. The bill seeks to dissolve UCDA and transfer its functions to the Ministry of Agriculture, echoing the struggles of the vanilla and tea sectors under the Ministry’s management.
Coffee farmers and stakeholders worry about their livelihoods as the government deliberates its next steps. The Buganda Kingdom’s opposition is clear, but the outcome remains uncertain since the Government led by President Yoweri Museveni appears determined in its intents.
The UCDA has made significant strides in promoting domestic coffee consumption, with a growth rate of 4%. Its partnership with the Buganda Kingdom has yielded positive results, including increased coffee production in the country.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear-the fate of Uganda’s coffee industry is ambiguous, and it remains to be seen whether the Government will listen to coffee stakeholders to reconsider its plan.