The Abrupt End Of The Uganda Coffee Development Authority – CoffeeTalk

The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) has come to an abrupt end, with President Yoweri Museveni assenting to several amended Acts from parliament on December 20, 2024. The dissolution of UCDA will be formalized when the Managing Director and board members hand over office and car keys today. The National Coffee Amendment Bill, which is expected to cost sh3.4 billion in terminal benefits for about 47 staff to be laid off, is expected to save the government an estimated sh82 billion in the next financial year.

The rationalization policy affects several agencies, including the roads authority UNRA, but the biggest battle against the decision came from the coffee sector. The government argued that the high cost of administering the agencies has drained the national treasury at the expense of effective service delivery. The President argued that the government is overstretched since the salary structures of the agencies created salary disparities between employees of the agencies and public officers.

The end of UCDA brings to an end a year-long debate on the way forward for the booming coffee sector. The rationalization policy is affecting several agencies, including the roads authority UNRA, but the biggest battle against the decision came from the coffee sector. The government argued that the high cost of administering the agencies has drained the national treasury at the expense of effective service delivery.

The end of UCDA marks another policy victory for the Executive in government. The Ministry of Agriculture will take over all such roles starting this year. President Yoweri Museveni vigorously defended his government’s decision to collapse the Uganda Coffee Development Authority-UCDA in writing, downplaying the role it has played over the years in coffee development. He said Operation Wealth Creation-OWC, under his brother Gen. Salim Saleh and himself, had done more than what UCDA has done in improving coffee productivity and marketability.

Museveni also castigated what he called tribalism that has characterized the debate on coffee. There has been stiff opposition from MPs from Buganda over the rationalizing of UCDA.

Read More @ The Independent