“President Museveni Is A Liar, The UCDA Coffee Bill Is Meant To Keep Ugandans POOR.” Says NEED President Joseph Kiiza Kabuleta

A heated debate has erupted over the proposed merger of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries.

The move, part of the government’s Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) program , has been met with fierce resistance from coffee farmers and critics who see it as a deliberate attempt to stifle rural wealth accumulation.

Joseph Kabuleta, leader of the National Economic Empowerment Dialogue (NEED), has been vocal in his opposition to the merger.

“This is a deliberate move by President Museveni to prevent rural wealth accumulation,” he asserts.

“The planned UCDA merger is determined to suppress any financial gains among farmers or anyone who engages in legitimate commercial activity.”

Kabuleta’s concerns are rooted in Uganda’s history, citing how coffee exports valued at $94 million in 1986 supported livelihoods, whereas now, Museveni’s measures aim to control rural wealth.

A Strategic Move?

The timing of the merger raises eyebrows, coinciding with Uganda’s significant coffee earnings surge from $846 million in 2022-2023 to $1.14 billion in the financial year ending mid-2024 . This substantial growth has Kabuleta questioning Museveni’s motives.

“He has spent 40 years involved in an economic civil war trying to make Ugandans poor, thinking poor people are easier to govern.”

Middlemen and Foreign Interests

Kabuleta highlights how foreign-owned coffee export companies, licensed by the government, maintain a hierarchy of middlemen, limiting Ugandan farmers’ earnings.

“Much of the coffee revenue bypasses farmers,” he notes. The proposed merger would exacerbate this issue, creating more layers of middlemen and further reducing direct profits for farmers.

A Pattern of Suppression

Kabuleta draws parallels with other cash crops, such as vanilla, cotton, and tea, where government regulations have led to declines in local wealth. The fish industry, once thriving with 800,000 Ugandan fishermen, has dwindled to less than 100,000 due to Chinese takeover, facilitated by leaders who “don’t want us to get rich.”

Condemning Value Addition Policies

Kabuleta condemns Museveni’s stance on value addition, citing the demise of Uganda’s self-sustaining textile industry. “His administration killed Uganda’s textile industry, which was largely self-sustaining with 70% of local textiles produced from Ugandan cotton.”

A Call to Action

In conclusion, Kabuleta declares Museveni’s administration as actively opposing rural Ugandans’ economic prosperity. With the 2026 general elections looming, he warns that the “Make Them Poor” policy will undermine rural Ugandans’ financial independence. Kabuleta remains optimistic, stating that once Museveni is removed from power, Uganda will experience unprecedented financial prosperity.Will the UCDA merger proceed, or will the voices of opposition prevail? Only time will tell.