Brewing Storm: President Museveni Summons NRM MPs Amid Coffee Bill Controversy

A high-stakes meeting is on the horizon as President Yoweri Museveni convenes a gathering of National Resistance Movement (NRM) Members of Parliament at the scenic Kisozi Country Farm in Gomba district this Friday.

The invitation, extended by Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua, specifies a 9:30 am start, but the agenda remains shrouded in mystery.The timing is pivotal, as a contentious Coffee Amendment Bill has brought parliamentary proceedings to a grinding halt.

The proposed legislation seeks to mainstream the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) under the Ministry of Agriculture, sparking fierce resistance from the Buganda Caucus and Kingdom.

Lawmakers warn that dissolving UCDA would have catastrophic consequences for Uganda’s coffee industry, imperiling the livelihoods of over 12.5 million people.

“This move would be disastrous for Uganda’s coffee industry,” lawmakers from the Buganda Caucus emphasized.

Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Peter Mayiga echoed this sentiment, asserting that dismantling UCDA would unfairly punish the Baganda people.In contrast, the government maintains that the Bill aims to eliminate duplication, overlaps, and wasteful expenditure, aligning service delivery with broader economic goals.

This rationalization process, initiated in February 2021, seeks to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.Intriguingly, the meeting’s agenda includes farm visits, with attendees instructed to don suitable footwear.

“Kindly carry/put on appropriate footwear as there will be some farm visits,” the invitation letter concludes.

President Museveni recently weighed in on the debate, contesting UCDA’s claims of sole responsibility for Uganda’s coffee success.

“If UCDA and NAADS were successful, why were 68% of the homesteads still outside the money economy by 2013?” he questioned.

“OWC did much more work than NAADS, UCDA, and CDO combined.”

Museveni emphasized the transformative impact of programs like Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and the Parish Development Model (PDM) in integrating Ugandan households into the money economy.

He criticized UCDA and NAADS for overstating their roles, labeling it “fraudulent” to attribute agricultural production boosts solely to their efforts.

As tensions escalate, Buganda MPs have vowed to fight the Bill tooth and nail, potentially sparking a protracted political battle. This showdown threatens the ruling party’s prospects in the 2026 general elections.The stage is set for a pivotal confrontation.

Will President Museveni’s intervention quell the controversy, or will the Coffee Amendment Bill continue to brew turmoil in Uganda’s political landscape? The outcome of this meeting will undoubtedly shape the future of Uganda’s coffee industry and the nation’s political trajectory.