By Patriot Corps
President Yoweri Museveni has summoned all Members of Parliament from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to his Kisozi Country Farm in Gomba District for a meeting scheduled this Friday, November 1, 2024. The invitation, sent out by Government Chief Whip and NRM Caucus Chairperson Denis Hamson Obua, encourages MPs to arrive prepared with suitable footwear for anticipated farm visits.
While the agenda for the meeting remains undisclosed, it is expected to touch on the ongoing parliamentary deadlock over the proposed Coffee Amendment Bill, which aims to incorporate the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) into the Ministry of Agriculture as part of a broader rationalization effort to reduce overlaps and streamline government expenditures. The proposed bill, however, has faced strong opposition from the Buganda Caucus and the Buganda Kingdom, both of whom argue that dissolving the UCDA would harm the coffee industry and threaten the livelihoods of millions of Ugandans, particularly in Buganda, where coffee farming remains a primary source of income.
Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Peter Mayiga has openly criticized the bill, describing it as an unfair punishment against the Baganda. The Buganda MPs have committed to opposing the bill, raising concerns that the dispute could harm the ruling party’s standing in the 2026 general elections.
Meanwhile, President Museveni has reiterated that the recent growth in Uganda’s coffee sector cannot be solely attributed to the UCDA. In a recent statement, he credited broader government-led initiatives, such as Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and the Parish Development Model (PDM), with significantly boosting the agricultural sector and helping rural households enter the money economy. He pointed out that, despite the efforts of agencies like UCDA and the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), by 2013, a substantial 68% of Ugandan households remained outside the cash economy.
Museveni highlighted that the UCDA was established in 1991 to address an economic crisis, yet he questioned its effectiveness, emphasizing that OWC had since achieved greater impact. He condemned claims that agricultural production improvements are solely due to agencies like UCDA, NAADS, and CDO, asserting instead that government initiatives like OWC and PDM have been pivotal.
The scheduled farm tours on Friday are expected to give MPs a firsthand look at coffee farm operations, tying into the broader discussion around the coffee bill.
Source: chimp reports
