HOT STORY: Katikiro Mayiga Claps Back At Museveni’s Gov’t Over Coffee Mess In Veiled Message

Ahead of Museveni’s meeting with the NRM MPs at his Kisozi Farm in Gomba later this week with reports indicating that the president is meeting his party legislators over the contentious rationalization of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) back to it’s mother ministry, Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga has clapped back at Museveni’s government.

While addressing the concerns in a detailed document he addressed to his Bazukulu surrounding the rationalization of UCDA, Museveni lashed at those who are tribalizing the issue. Museveni claimed no one can teach him anything regarding coffee and he insists UCDA must be eliminated by hook or by crook.

Museveni also watered down the narrative that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) was solely responsible for the coffee boom in Uganda. He attributed the coffee boom to Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) led by his brother Gen Salim Saleh which he said the soldiers employed there have been giving farmers the right coffee seedlings.

“If UCDA and NAADS were successful, why were 68% of the homesteads still outside the money economy by 2013? OWC did much more work than NAADS and UCDA and CDO combined. In the Masaka area, Col. Nsamba, has distributed 1,000,074 coffee seedings and caused the planting of 38,666.6 acres of coffee. OWC also gave out other planting and breeding materials; tea, fruits, pigs, cassava, etc, etc. That is how, for the first time in the history of Uganda, the number of households in the money economy, is now 67% and those outside the money economy are 33%”-Museveni said in his Coffee write up.

Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga in his previous message to government and Speaker Anita Among wondered why government was plotting against Buganda and all Ugandans who depend on Coffee. He also noted that Buganda’s position as a region which produces 50% of the Coffee is that UCDA shouldn’t be eliminated.

His message came at the height of contentions surrounding the rationalization of the Coffee where Speaker Anita Among was heard in a trending mumble of DON’T LET THOSE BAGANDAS GET THE NUMBERS, despite parliament through Chris Obore claiming the audio was AI generated, Ugandans continue pushing Speaker Anita Among over such tribal sentiments.

Now the Katikiro has urged government to listen to the voices of Ugandan Coffee farmers than rushing into things without considering the reality of the matter. According to Mayiga, their ‘Emwanyi Terimba’ initiative started in 2016 after witnessing high level of poverty among the Baganda during the Ettofali drive in 2013-2016. The now rationalization Casuality UCDA gave Buganda 10 million Coffee seedlings and extension services which improved quality and quality of the Coffee now produced.

“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”-Mayiga Posted

The Buganda premier further advises government to instead provide the necessary funds to boost the operations of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) than pushing it to the Ministry of Agriculture which many Ugandans have said it’s a ‘Sick Ministry’ as Museveni insists Ministries work better than the Agencies he’s merging.

“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”-posted Mayiga.

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.

Selling our… pic.twitter.com/WDc49AO973

— Charles Peter Mayiga (@cpmayiga) October 29, 2024

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via news@accord.co.ug or WhatsApp +256758201313. Follow our WhatsApp Channel HERE and our Telegram Channel HERE to see more of our stories.