Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga receiving a moisture meter from UCDA on Friday morning.
The Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga , has warned against the idea of phasing out the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), describing the move to transfer the roles of UCDA to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) as a biggest mistake.
The government wants to transfer the roles of UCDA to MAAIF as it aims to save Shs1 trillion per year after rationalizing the agencies in question.
President Yoweri Museveni and MPs from three Committees of Parliament working on the rationalization of state agencies this week agreed to procced with rationalization of all agencies in question, but retain UCDA as an autonomous entity for the next three years. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Parliamentary Caucus also met President Museveni on Friday September6,2024 and resolved “to support the presentation and passing into law by Parliament, all the Bills on the rationalization of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) providing for a three (03)- year transitional period for Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and National Information Technology Authority, Uganda (NITA-U).”
However, Mayiga says that should the government decision to phase out UCDA in 2027 go as planned, “they will have made the biggest mistake.”
“Abandon the idea of phasing out UCDA. This current regulation (EUDR) underpins the significance of UCDA. For Uganda to comply with these regulations, we need UCDA,” said Mayiga, adding that even before the issue of regulation, the UCDA has been at the forefront of fighting for quality and offering extension services, among other efforts.
Mayiga adds that UCDA instead requires additional financial and logistical support. He appealed to Parliament to consider allocating UCDA more money because with the current growth in the coffee sub sector, which he has witnessed in the last eight years, the country will need the authority even more.
The Buganda Parliamentary caucus also on Thursday resolved not to support the transfer of UCDA to MAAIF.
Coffee stakeholders have always urged Government to consider rescinding a decision to merge UCDA with MAAIF, saying the latter is over loaded and that Uganda’s ‘cash cow’ may not be given the necessary priority it deserves.
Prof. Ezra Suruma, who was key in the creation of UCDA in 1991, says: “The existence of Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) as an institution has been indispensable to the orderly expansion of the coffee sector.”
He adds: “I think really that we must grow up. You can’t run an economy without institutions. If you have an institution working well, why abolish it? Coffee production has grown from three million to eight million bags in a period of five years (due to UCDA’s efforts).”
He says that many countries are bench-marking on Uganda’s success coffee story which has been possible due to UCDA.
He adds that there’s need for prioritization for Uganda.
“Each Ministry has their own priorities and coffee may not be a priority if UCDA is taken to MAAIF,” says Prof. Suruma.
He adds that President Yoweri Museveni gave a policy directive to make coffee a key priority and UCDA has taken the President’s directive seriously.
He says Uganda should preserve institutions that are performing well.
“Institutions are known for methods of doing something; if you have a tested mechanism that works, then you must maintain it. The Americans say if it’s not broken, then don’t fix it. This thing (UCDA) isn’t broken. Then, why are you abolishing it? There’s nothing wrong with it,” he said, adding: “We must insist on preserving institutions that we have and are working. Don’t dissolve them,” he says.
