NRM MPs to Meet Museveni Over Controversial Coffee Bill

(Kisozi) – President Yoweri Museveni has summoned Members of Parliament (MPs) from the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to his private farm in Kisozi, located in the Gomba district, for a discussion on pressing national matters, including the debated Coffee Amendment Bill.

According to Denis Obua, the government’s Chief Whip, the meeting is planned for Friday. While the official letter to the MPs does not clarify the agenda, Obua shared that various issues affecting Uganda are expected to be discussed.

Last week, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among postponed further parliamentary sessions after a heated debate and a vote on the Coffee Amendment Bill, a controversial piece of legislation that aims to transfer the functions of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to the Ministry of Agriculture. This bill has generated significant discussion, particularly among opposition MPs, who view the proposed change as counterproductive.

A division on the issue led Speaker Among to order a “Division Lobby” vote, as stipulated under Rule 101 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure. This requires MPs to cast their votes outside the main parliamentary chamber, with the votes later counted and reported. The results showed 159 MPs voted in favor of the bill, while 77 opposed it. This majority in favor came largely from the NRM party, with opposition members generally rejecting the transfer of functions.

The UCDA, formed in 1991 under the Uganda Coffee Development Authority Act, Cap. 325, and later regulated by the National Coffee Act No. 17 of 2021, oversees Uganda’s coffee sector. Its responsibilities include maintaining coffee quality standards, promoting research and development, and supporting earnings for all involved stakeholders. Many in the coffee industry fear that moving these responsibilities to the Ministry of Agriculture could disrupt the sector, which has thrived under UCDA’s independent oversight.