The Minister of Finance and Economic Development Matia Kasaija has revealed that he did not need the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Frank Tumwebaze to sign the coffee export agreement between the government of Uganda and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited.
During an interview with CBS FM radio station on Friday, Kasaija said his ministry is the one responsible for industrializing the country not the Ministry of Agriculture.
“I don’t need to tell him because the task of industrializing this country is on me that is why we have the full minister of investment here, so I don’t need to tell the Minister of Agriculture if I’m supposed to sign an investment agreement. Maybe we shall send him a copy of the agreement,” he said.
Kasaija added that those opposing the agreement must come with valid evidence in writing to the ministry but not using social media.
“If the Members of Parliament think that this agreement is a fraud, let them come with the evidence in written form.”
Kasaija’s reactions follows a recent Twitter post by Minister Tumwebaze saying that he was not part of the coffee agreement that has become controversial in the public domain.
“Clarification: A Note to journalists calling me & seeking to know more about the coffee agreement recently signed between @GovUganda with one investor; be advised that neither myself nor @MAAIF_Uganda is a party/ privy to that agreement,” the Minister tweeted on Wednesday.
“.. So I advise, that all queries regarding the same be directed to the ministry of finance ( @mofpedU ) for correct information & reporting. Thank you!”
Early this week, a section of opposition Members of Parliament also called for the termination of the agreement in question citing a lack of legality.
The MPs led by the Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Dr Abed Bwanika (Kimaanya – Kabonera Division) challenged the legality of the agreement since it was entered into without the involvement of Parliament and the Attorney General.
Bwanika argued that the act of ratifying the agreement without the approval of parliament is an attempt to hijack the powers of the legislative body, by illegally assuming the authority to regulate coffee prices.
“By so doing, that means that Vinci has powers to regulate coffee prices. We want to remind Ugandans that we operate a liberalized economy, and this agreement contravenes the constitution. The people of Uganda must be allowed the freedom to trade in coffee and any other commodities,” Bwanika said.
Richard Lumu, the parliamentary representative for Mityana South decried the whole process of ratifying the agreement, also arguing it was entered into without the approval of parliament, an indicator of contempt of the legislative body.
“This is a satanic agreement; what is in this agreement is usurping the powers of Parliament which is supposed to debate each concession or agreement where the Government of Uganda is going to commit Ugandans. This had been hidden,” said Lumu.
“If Vinci wanted to take the monopoly of coffee export, it would have complied with the PPDA Act. The Minister of Finance as a senior citizen should have known that an agreement of this nature should have been debated [and approved] by Parliament,” he added.
The agreement in question was signed on February 10th, 2022 and it gives Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited a monopoly over the purchase and export of coffee from Ugandan farmers.
The company was also given a 10-year tax holiday as well as a subsidized power tariff of 5 cents per unit of power for 10 years.
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