By Spy Uganda
Kampala: The Parliament of Uganda has dismissed tribal remarks targeting the Baganda allegedly made by Speaker Anita Among during Thursday’s heated debate on the contentious National Coffee Amendment Bill 2024.
In a media statement issued by Chris Obore, the Parliament’s Director of Communication described remarks as ‘fake’ and ‘edited’, a video claiming the Speaker Among was mobilising against the Buganda Caucus MPs who were opposed to the proposed Bill.
“The video does not capture what she said fully and some people are attempting to complete her sentences based on their own biases. That characterisation is rejected as a poor attempt at using artificial intelligence to score political goals,” Obore said in a statement issued on Friday evening.
According to Obore, “a section of Hon. Members of Parliament had alleged that the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is ‘poison served by government to the people of Buganda’’
He however said the Speaker instead urged legislators not to attach tribal sentiments to the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and cited other areas like Bugisu where coffee is the main cash crop, therefore, the Bill should not be seen as targeting a specific region.
‘The Speaker didn’t mention any words like “make sure that those Baganda don’t get the numbers”, her statement was that, ‘make sure that this issue is not tribalized,’ “Those who could have followed the proceedings of the house will realize the Rt. Hon Speaker gave an opportunity to majority Members most of whom were from Buganda.”
The debate on the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was contentious, particularly among opposition legislators. It became evident that MPs from coffee-growing regions sought to assert their dominance in discussions, reminiscent of previous debates on dissolving the CDO and DDA, where regional representatives had strongly defended their interests.
During the heated debates on Thursday this week, tempers flared as notable supporters of rationalization, including Geoffrey Onzima (Ayivu County MP) and Joanne Okia (Madi-Okollo District Woman MP), engaged in a heated exchange. Speaker Among apologized for stating that she would only allow legislators with “clear heads” to debate the Bill after opposition MPs began chanting, “Leave coffee alone.”
MPs raised concerns over the implications of dissolving UCDA. Michael Lulume Bayiga (Buikwe South MP) cautioned against losing the entity’s accreditation, which he claimed could take five to ten years to regain. Aisha Kabanda (Butambala District Woman MP) criticized the government for proposing to abolish UCDA, emphasizing its historical role in supporting coffee farmers.
Brenda Nabukenya (Luwero Woman MP) highlighted the importance of maintaining UCDA’s standards for coffee quality, while Joel Ssenyonyi reiterated the need to consult constituents, arguing that the Bill affects the livelihoods of 12 million coffee growers.
