Uganda’s coffee industry, a pillar of the nation’s economy and livelihood for millions, is under siege—by none other than President Museveni himself. The proposed coffee bill, which he’s desperately pushing, could dismantle the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) after over 30 years of effective work, transferring its duties to the agriculture ministry. This move is not about governance; it’s about control, cash, and Museveni’s grip on Uganda’s wealth.
For years, UCDA has been the driving force behind Uganda’s coffee boom, making us Africa’s second-largest coffee exporter after Ethiopia. In 2022 alone, coffee exports brought Uganda an impressive $813 million. This sector not only boosts our economy but provides livelihoods for millions of Ugandans. Yet, instead of building on this success, Museveni is eyeing it as his personal cash cow. He’s bent on shifting authority from UCDA to a department within the agriculture ministry, where he has more control and fewer checks. Museveni isn’t aiming to “reform” the sector—he wants to siphon the wealth it generates.
The Ugandan public, who recognize the looming threat to their livelihoods, have outrightly rejected the bill. But Museveni, true to form, tried to buy his way through parliament, bribing MPs to force the bill into law. His scheme stalled when the backlash intensified, with opposition MPs and the public pushing back harder than anticipated. Now, instead of accepting that Uganda’s citizens and representatives stand against him, Museveni has doubled down, deploying security forces around parliament to silence dissent.
Inside the parliamentary chambers, Museveni’s bribed cronies are expected to create chaos and even violence if opposition MPs resist his latest power grab. This is Museveni’s Uganda—where dissent is silenced with force, and public wealth is rerouted into private hands, all under the guise of “reform.”
Uganda’s coffee industry is too valuable to be sacrificed at the altar of Museveni’s ambition. Our farmers, our exporters, and every Ugandan who benefits from this sector deserve more than a government that sees them as dollar signs. As opposition MPs have rightfully argued, dissolving UCDA would destabilize a thriving industry, endangering both present and future prosperity.
Museveni’s plan isn’t about Uganda’s development; it’s about securing control over a multi-million-dollar industry. The time to resist is now. We cannot stand by as one man attempts to hijack the backbone of our economy. Ugandans must demand that parliament protects UCDA, stands up to bribery, and refuses to let Museveni’s greed siphon off the lifeblood of our country’s coffee industry.