Museveni decries tribalism in coffee debate
President Museveni speaks during the opening of the 3rd Session of the 5th Assembly of the East African Legislative Assembly in Entebbe on October 22, 2024. PHOTO/HANDOUT/PPU
What you need to know:
- Last week, 159 Members of Parliament voted to pass a legislation that, once signed by the President, will reintegrate the UCDA back into its parent ministry.
President Museveni has criticised those tribalising the current coffee debate, describing the same as sheer dishonesty.
In a statement on X yesterday, the head of state said it is the National Resistance Movement (NRM) that expanded the production of coffee from two million bags in 1986 to the current nine million bags, worth $900m (Shs3.2 trillion).
“[It is] the NRM that provided security for the scientists, as already pointed out before rooting for rationalisation to have the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) revert to its mother Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries. Is it rational to have an agency or authority for each of these? This is why we had to have a rationalisation- stop irrationality and be rational. To be condemned, are those who I hear try to bring in the nonsensical tribalism. When [Buganda] Katikkiro [Charles Peter] Mayiga joined us in promoting coffee, we welcomed him…,” Mr Museveni stated
He added: “It is, therefore, sheer dishonesty, to bring up tribalism where the NRM is involved. The massive industries the NRM has built, are mainly in Buganda – Namanve, Mukono, Kapeeka, Matugga- Gombe area, Luweero, industries in Nakasongola, Kisozi, etc. These have a direct benefit to nearby populations if they are well guided to take advantage of them.”
Last week, 159 Members of Parliament voted to pass a legislation that, once signed by the President, will reintegrate the UCDA back into its parent ministry. Seventy-seven members voted against the initiative.
The debate culminated in the Passing of the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill 2024 which is part of the ongoing Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (Rapex) programme.
Legislators debated the passing of the Bill for two days and some described it as ‘poison to the local coffee farmers’.
Its passing drew criticism from coffee growers and other concerned members of the public including Katikkiro Mayiga.
The Buganda premier said the legislation was targeting the kingdom which contributes 50 percent of the total coffee exports.
President Museveni also reminded the critics that NRM formed the agencies when the economy was down and the public servants were being paid low salaries.
“Since some people respond to only the mercenary logic of only working hard for personal remuneration such as pay, we tactically agreed that some government efforts could be executed outside the departmental structures of the government with the workers there paid higher salaries than those in the government departments. That is how Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA -2008), National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads-2001), Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA-1991), etc., came about,” he said.
He, however, said the agencies failed to fulfil their original purpose.
“Indeed, by 2013, a whole 68 percent of the Ugandan homesteads were still outside the money economy. That is why I had to launch Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) using the army to distribute the coffee seedlings as well as the other planting and breeding materials to the farmers,” he said.
He added: “If UCDA and Naads were successful, why were 68 percent of the homesteads still outside the money economy by 2013? OWC did much more work than Naads, UCDA, and CDO combined.”
Mr Museveni said the $900m that Uganda currently earns from coffee is mere peanuts since the country still exports unprocessed coffee beans.
He said he was hopeful that with value addition-- roasting, grinding, and packing- -“we shall earn, maybe, 15 times more”.
Mr Museveni reminded Ugandans that the global coffee value is $460b whereas Africa gets only $2.5b.
“Why do some actors appear to be satisfied with this? I am not satisfied with $900 million. Every time a coffee bean is sent to Hamburg in Germany, it takes out of our soils some potassium, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, silicon, and sodium,” he said
He added: “We need a better return for this continuous mining and export of our nutrients. Why should Germany earn $65b from coffee and all the coffee growing countries only earn $25b?”
Mr Museveni noted that they are checking to see if the anti-rationalisation crusaders are on the payroll of some external forces.
Not happy
It is, therefore, sheer dishonesty, to bring up tribalism where the NRM is involved. The massive industries the NRM has built, are mainly in Buganda – Namanve, Mukono, Kapeeka, Matugga- Gombe area, Luweero, industries in Nakasongola, Kisozi, etc. These have a direct benefit to nearby populations if they are well guided to take advantage of them. – President Museveni
