Buganda has opposed the integration of then Uganda Coffee Development Authority claiming the move is intended to “punish it.”
In a statement on his official X handle, Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga said it would not be wise to scrap UCDA since it superintends coffee production, upon which nearly 2 million Ugandan households depend.
“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 wrote.
He said the Emmwanyi Terimba Initiative, which is intended to boost coffee production in Buganda will go on unabated.
“I urge Baganda (and other Ugandans) to continue growing coffee: your livelihood is more important than the motives of present-day politicians,” he said.
Mayiga’s tone was uncharacteristically terse underscoring the importance of the matter.
Parliament is currently debating the National Coffee Bill 2024 which intends to integrate UCDA into the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to the bill UCDA’s role will now be handled by a department in the ministry.
Yesterday after a chaotic sitting, laced with tribal undertones, the speaker decided to defer debate on the matter to a later date.
Some MPs from Buganda had argued that the move is intended to weaken the region’s economic base which is underpinned by coffee.
Uganda is currently one of Africa’s top coffee exporters with revenue earnings rising from $883.3m (sh3.26 trillion) to $952.24m (sh3.57 trillion) from November 2021 to October 2022.