One of the most trending topics in the country is the debate about the government’s plans to mainstream the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) into the agriculture ministry, where its functions shall be undertaken by a department.
Last week on Thursday during a plenary meeting, the move faced resistance from a section of MPs who strongly opposed it and found the Speaker of Parliament Ms. Anita Annet Among being accused of tribalizing the coffee debate.
Led by Hon. Abed Bwanika (Masaka-Kabonera, NUP) and Asinasi Nyakato (Hoima City Woman MP, FDC) urged that UCDA has been so pivotal in fostering the coffee industry to the level of success that it is now.
They shared their thoughts saying that disbanding the authority would undermine its progress and some MPs including Geoffrey Lutaaya were very bitter about the move that had been supported by Linda Agnes Auma (Lira District MP, Independent), the Parliamentary Agriculture Committee Chairperson.
When singer King Saha, real name Mansur Semanda, touched base upon his return to the +256, he shed light on the coffee bill and the value of coffee with his fans.
He urged the MPs opposing the fight to “keep the fire burning” saying that if they let the bill pass, they will have cheated their voters.
I consider coffee as one of our cash crop and I am one of the coffee farmers, so I am talking about something I know very well. We are going to fight tooth and nail until we win. I urge my fellow Ugandans we fight together against this coffee bill because if you lag behind, it will be game over. So we should say “No, No and enough is enough.”
According to reports, UCDA has made progress by turning Uganda into one of Africa’s top coffee exporters with the revenue earnings rising from Shs3.26 trillion to Shs3.57 trillion from November 2021 to October 2022.
