By Leilah Bbaale
President Museveni will address the nation tonight after weeks of tension over the government’s controversial decision to abolish the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).
Museveni’s address is scheduled for 8pm and will be aired on all natioanl radios and TVs, the presidency said.
On Wednesday, Parliament passed the National Coffee Amendment Bill, 2024 amid chaotic scenes and blackout, literally, as legislators exchanges blows, lights were switched off the chambers and unidentified security personnel stormed in to drag out members.
The bill, which transfers the UCDA’s functions to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), was passed amid protests from opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) and a media lockout, with 305 MPs reportedly in attendance during the decision.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among dismissed allegations of conflict of interest raised by opposition MPs, clarifying that the Rules of Procedure do not apply to the Speaker’s position as a non-voting presiding officer.
Kiboga East MP Keefa Kiwanuka voiced fears of a potential decline in Uganda’s coffee sector, proposing that the agriculture minister regularly report to Parliament on the sector’s performance.
However, the proposal was rejected following objections from State Minister for Finance Henry Musasizi, who argued that existing audits and monitoring frameworks were sufficient.
The restructuring has garnered support within Parliament, with State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwanga backing Musasizi’s view and urging the withdrawal of Kiwanuka’s proposal, which Parliament accepted.
Speaker Among expressed gratitude to MPs, including Abdul Katuntu, Asuman Basalirwa, and Nathan Nandala Mafabi, for remaining in the chamber during the bill’s passage.
Museveni recently reiterated his support for dissolving UCDA, framing it as a necessary move for efficient resource allocation and stronger economic governance.
Speaking from his farm in Kisozi, Gomba District, last week, the President argued that merging UCDA into the core ministries would eliminate inefficiencies and better serve the government’s poverty eradication goals.
He warned that opposition to these changes could hinder Uganda’s economic progress, signaling a firm stance against those resisting the UCDA’s restructuring.
Katikkiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has been vocal in opposing the UCDA’s dissolution, emphasising the authority’s crucial role in Uganda’s coffee sector.
Mayiga highlighted UCDA’s longstanding partnership with Buganda, which includes providing seedlings and specialized training for the kingdom’s ‘Emwanyi Terimba’ campaign to improve coffee quality and yields.
“UCDA’s extension workers and training initiatives have been key to reaching rural farmers and ensuring Uganda’s coffee meets international standards,” Mayiga told journalists.
He expressed concern that folding UCDA into MAAIF could dismantle these community-based networks and jeopardize Uganda’s coffee export ambitions.
The debate underscores a growing divide over the future of Uganda’s coffee industry, one of the nation’s top exports.
While the government advocates for streamlined governance through ministerial consolidation, critics argue that disrupting UCDA’s established structures risks undermining local farming communities and Uganda’s global coffee standing.
Museveni’s address is expected to shed light on the government’s vision for the coffee sector and may attempt to address the growing concerns among stakeholders about the sector’s stability and future direction.
