Rationalising UCDA won't kill coffee sector — minister Baryomunsi

ICT and National Guidance minister Chris Baryomunsi says rationalising the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) will not kill the coffee sub-sector. 

"Ugandans should not be diverted. UCDA is just being transferred to the ministry (of agriculture) as a unit. Its functions will remain. Let’s also agree that coffee is not about Buganda alone," he said on Monday, October 28, 2024.

The minister, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, also said the rationalisation policy is good and well-intended. 

"It aims at making the civil service lean, mean and thin for more efficiency and better performance. The gains in the coffee sector are not necessarily due to UCDA, but other efforts. Rationalising UCDA will not kill the sector," he said.

On Sunday (October 27), President Yoweri Museveni decried the tribal talk in the parliamentary debate on the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

"To be condemned, are those who I hear try to bring in the nonsensical tribalism," he said in a long statement about coffee and the Government's ongoing rationalisation policy.

The Bill seeks to mainstream and rationalise the functions of UCDA into the agriculture ministry in a bid to reduce public expenditure.

Agriculture state minister Bright Rwamirama, who is also Isingiro North MP, told the House recently that the intention of the Bill is not to abolish functions of UCDA, but rather have the functions executed in the department of coffee development extensions at the ministry.

He also said no employee of UCDA whose competency is required in the regulation will be laid off.

According to agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze, who sponsored the Bill, the policy behind the proposed law is to give effect to the Government Policy for Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure, which was adopted by the Cabinet on February 22, 2021.

He said while tabling the Bill that it will relieve the Government of the financial drain on its resources and the burden of wasteful administration and expenditure on the UCDA yet the agriculture ministry may perform the functions with less cost and expenditure.

Tumwebaze also told the House that the Bill will facilitate efficient and effective service delivery by clearly delineating the mandates and functions of the agriculture ministry in relation to other government agencies and departments, thereby, avoiding duplication of mandates and functions.

“[It will also] promote coordinated administrative arrangements, policies and procedures for ensuring the efficient and successful management, financial accounting and budgetary discipline of government agencies and departments, enabling the Government to play its proper role more effectively, and enforcing accountability,” he added.