MP Akol sparks debate claiming ignorance of coffee mogul Tugume

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Kilak North lawmaker Anthony Akol never fails to impress.

During last year's debate on the rationalisation of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), he grabbed headlines when he unleashed a barrage of punches that sent Francis Zaake (Mityana Municipality, NUP) crumbling to the canvas like a house of cards.

Zaake’s offence? Attempting to forcibly reclaim a seat Akol had occupied while he was on the floor.

These theatrics and media backlash appear to have distracted Akol from raising pressing issues within the coffee sector on that day.

However, on January 23, 2025, Akol delivered yet another masterstroke. This was after he claimed ignorance of a local coffee investor known as Nelson Tugume. Tugume is the brain behind the Inspire Africa Coffee factory project in Rwashamaire Town Council, Ntungamo district.

The light moment unfolded during a meeting between the House agriculture committee, chaired by Agnes Linda Auma (Lira District Woman, Indep) and the budget committee, led by Remegio Achia (Pian County, NRM). The interaction bordered on the Budget Framework Paper (BFP) for the 2025/26 Financial Year.

Who is Tugume?

“Many people were thinking that UCDA was being rationalised because there is a factory that private individuals are setting up in Western Uganda. A case in point is the one in Ntungamo. And the name which was prominently coming out was Tugume. I have never met that person. I don’t know him,” Akol alleged.

Turning to Auma, he inquired about the specifics of the financing agreement of the factory that has been making waves lately.

“Did you find out whether that investment was Government or a private investment? If that is the Government giving money for such investments, why shouldn’t a similar facility be in eastern Uganda in areas of Mbale where Bagisu are doing a lot of coffee? Don’t you think a similar investment should be made in northern Uganda in areas of Acholi, Lango and West Nile? We have over 5,000 people who have registered for coffee in my district Amuru,” Akol inquired.

Akol further questioned whether the committee had conducted due diligence on the retrenchment process of the dissolved agricultural agencies including UCDA, Cotton Development Authority (CDO) and Diary Development Authority (DDA).

While it remains unclear whether Akol is attempting to use this situation as a gambit to meet influential businessman Tugume, this development proved too much for Auma, who is still reeling from the stress occasioned by these public sector reforms.

At RAPEX's climax, Budget committee vice-chairperson Remegio Achia cheekily revealed that he found Auma almost in tears within the corridors of Parliament.

“Are you happy, I know one time I found you crying in the corridor about your agencies… I found her crying that these agencies if they are rationalised, either she will die and if they are not rationalised she will also die,”

“Because I knew what they used to do. The services are the ones which used to make ministry of agriculture sound. So I knew without them, we would suffer as a country,”

State House meeting

Tugume is said to have benefitted from a directive by President Yoweri Museveni to provide $10 (about shillings 37 billion) million to companies engaged in coffee export to promote value addition.

Museveni gave this order while meeting stakeholders in the coffee value chain at State House on March 20, 2023.

“I was in the meeting. There was what they called a coffee consortium with many members, and Tugume was the lead person. In fact, they accused us, Members of Parliament, of not being supportive. Fortunately, Budget Committee chairperson Isiagi Opolot, Prime Minister, the Government Chief Whip, committee chairpersons and regional whips were there. We said no,” Lango Regional whip Tony Ayoo told New Vision Online on October 29, 2024.