SMELLING A RAT IN COFFEE, Katikkiro Mayiga Tells Museveni to Respect Ugandans’ Views

Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga has continued to express his views on the coffee bill and the move to scrap off Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).

Even as President Yoweri Museveni has not ceased making a case for the disbandment of UCDA and other agencies like the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), Katikkiro Mayiga is smelling a rat in the coffee sector manoeuvres by the government.

Katikkiro Mayiga says the kingdom began an initiative to popularize the growing of coffee as a way of driving millions of the king’s subjects out of poverty after it became clear that they were wallowing in poverty as he traversed the country fundraising for the reconstruction of Kasubi royal tombs.

He credits UCDA for offering the Kabaka’s subjects millions of seedlings and extension services to support Emmwanyi Terimba initiative. He also defended UCDA against Museveni’s attacks that the agency had continued to look on as Uganda loses money in selling freshly ground coffee.

“Emmwanyi Terimba Initiative was started in 2016, as a means of addressing the poverty we witnessed during the Ettoffaali Drive (2013 – 2016). UCDA joined us and provided 10 million seedlings and extension services which led to improved crop quality and quantity,” noted Katikkiro Mayiga.

“Selling our coffee without value addition results in lower earnings. However, even wealthier Brazil and Vietnam, which grow more coffe, also sell ‘kase’ because the large European and American markets consume freshly ground coffee at the end consumer outlet.”

Katikkiro Mayiga then made a case for further funding and retention of UCDA. “UCDA should be funded further and retained to: advise on good farming practices; improve quality of the crop on the farm and after harvest; raise the quantities produced; popularize the drinking of coffee; and explore possible bi-products from the coffee bean,” he further noted.

The Katikkiro also made clear his suspicion of plans by government to change the coffee sector such as the coffee bill and the deal with Enrica Pinetti.

“Government attempts to control the coffee industry have raised concern: the Coffee Bill 2020 which had punitive clauses like imprisonment of a farmer who abandons his/her farm; entering into an agreement with Enrica Penneti giving her a monopoly over the coffee chain; and now the UCDA (Amendment) Bill which aims at scrapping an agency superintending an activity upon which millions of Ugandans depend for their livelihoods,” he said.

“These maneuvers point to unclear motives, more so when the stakeholders’ views are not respected.” Even when Ugandans complained about investor Enrica Pinetti, Museveni defended her calling her a savior. This prompted one commentator to tell off Museveni’s government officials to grow their own coffee and sell it to investors. (See Details Here and There).

Meanwhile, these maneuvers have sparked coffee wars between Buganda and Speaker Anita Among, with Mayiga saying they are meant to punish Buganda. But Museveni has insisted that UCDA, UNRA and others are parasites which should be removed because they cost government a lot of money. (See Details Here, There and Over There).

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