Uganda’s Coffee Control Debate Sparks Controversy: Speaker’s Remarks Fuel Tensions

In a recent and highly charged parliamentary debate over Uganda’s coffee sector, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among sparked a national conversation when she allegedly instructed members, “Make sure those Baganda don’t get the numbers.” This statement, made during deliberations on whether the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) should be dissolved and incorporated into the Ministry of Agriculture, has been viewed by many as a direct affront to Uganda’s largest ethnic group, the Baganda, who not only constitute a significant part of the population but also dominate the country’s coffee production.

Coffee has long been a lifeline for Uganda’s economy, serving as one of its largest foreign exchange earners. The majority of Uganda’s coffee farms are located in the Buganda region, a factor that has kept Buganda MPs particularly keen to preserve the autonomy of the UCDA. They argue that this independence is crucial for protecting the region’s primary economic contributor and ensuring that coffee farmers benefit directly from their crop.

The proposed dissolution of UCDA aligns with President Museveni’s broader initiative to streamline various government agencies. However, this move has been widely criticized by the Buganda Parliamentary Caucus, whose members fear that subsuming UCDA under the Ministry of Agriculture will sideline coffee’s unique needs and priorities. Coffee growers from regions like Bugisu, where coffee is also a key cash crop, have echoed Buganda’s concerns, showing a rare unity across regional lines in opposition to the proposed UCDA changes.

Advertising

The debate took an even more contentious turn in light of past controversies over the coffee industry, particularly regarding Museveni’s prior attempt to grant exclusive rights to Uganda’s coffee trade to an entity called Vinci Coffee owned by Italian Enrica Pinnet “read https://ugandatoday.co.ug/facts-and-myths-about-enrica-pinnet/.” The proposal was met with overwhelming public and political backlash, with critics condemning it as an attempt to monopolize and centralize control of a valuable export in ways that could harm local farmers. The failure of the Pinetti proposal did not end the tensions, however; instead, it left Ugandans wary of future governmental moves impacting the coffee sector.

President Museveni’s administration has a history of using heavy-handed tactics to sway parliamentary proceedings, which has fueled the perception that the independence of the Ugandan parliament is under threat. Among the most infamous instances of such interference occurred in 2017, when Museveni ordered military forces to enter the parliament chamber and forcibly remove MPs who opposed removing the presidential age limit from the constitution—a change that allowed him to contest in subsequent elections. Many Ugandans recall this act as an extreme display of the executive’s reach into the legislative branch, leaving lasting scars on Uganda’s democratic process.

The current UCDA debate adds to a growing list of cases where President Museveni’s influence over parliament has been questioned. Critics argue that Speaker Among’s recent comment targeting the Baganda is an alarming sign of bias and an attempt to stifle the region’s political influence. This directive, recorded on both video and audio, has left members of the Buganda caucus and their allies troubled about the speaker’s impartiality, fearing it might further erode trust in parliament.

Pinnetti-photo-1

For Ugandan coffee farmers, preserving UCDA’s autonomy is more than a matter of agricultural policy; it is a fight to protect the industry that sustains their livelihoods. With increasing pressure on parliament to preserve the UCDA, both the public and regional representatives have made it clear that they will not quietly accept any moves that compromise the coffee sector.

As Uganda’s parliament continues to deliberate, all eyes remain on Speaker Among and President Museveni, with citizens across the nation calling for respect toward Uganda’s diverse communities and the preservation of institutions that uphold democratic values. For now, the future of Uganda’s coffee industry—and the independence of its parliament—hangs in the balance.