The debate on coffee in Uganda has become an ego-bruising matter currently pegged on a proposed National Coffee Amendment Bill that plans to transfer the Uganda Coffee Development Authority to the Ministry of Agriculture. The government supports the merger, citing that it will streamline services and reduce costs by eliminating superfluous agencies.
The President is for this move, arguing that this move aligns with his call for value addition and transformation of the economy, since Uganda earns less from its raw coffee exports than the value it would accrue from the same quantity of processed coffee. Museveni also insinuated there might be some external influences working against this change in policy, implying that there might be some resistance by foreign interests in Uganda's coffee industry   .
Critics, among them the Prime Minister of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, say such a dissolution will disproportionately hurt Uganda's central coffee-producing region, fanning political and regional tensions. They add that what Uganda needs to compete with leading nations of the world in coffee export is a specialized agency, and integrating UCDA with the Ministry of Agriculture may weaken the effectiveness of its operation.
A significant clash erupted in Uganda’s Parliament on November 7, 2024, during a heated debate over the National Coffee Amendment Bill. This proposed legislation has been a contentious topic for weeks, with legislators split over its implications for Uganda’s coffee sector, an industry critical to the country’s economy. The recent session saw arguments escalate into a physical altercation, with opposing MPs clashing both verbally and physically, resulting in a chaotic scene.
Key figures involved included members from both the ruling party and the opposition. The Speaker, Anita Among, struggled to maintain order as MPs on both sides engaged in shouting matches, pushing, and even minor scuffles. In the aftermath, some MPs were reportedly injured and later taken to medical facilities. Notably, MP Zaake Francis was hospitalized due to injuries sustained in the fray.
The conflict reflects deep-rooted tensions over Uganda’s economic direction and governance, with many MPs from the opposition viewing the coffee bill as favoring certain business interests. This clash has drawn national attention and reignited debates over the regulation of the coffee industry in Uganda   .
