"President Museveni Addresses Coffee Sector Developments and Rationalization Policies"

This letter is published in Crown Media East Africa to keep Ugandans informed about ongoing government initiatives and the truth behind our economic strategies

"President Museveni Addresses Coffee Sector Developments and Rationalization Policies"

President Museveni's Letter on Coffee

Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazzukulu, greetings.

The Church of Uganda Prayer Book, page 30, says: "They left undone what they ought to have done and they did what they ought not to have done, and there is no truth in them."

The persistent falsehoods about the rationalization of parasitic and irrational agencies follow that logic. Some of these agencies were created under the NRM government when the economy was struggling and public servants were poorly paid. Some people are motivated only by personal remuneration, so we tactically allowed some government efforts to be executed outside departmental structures, paying higher salaries. This led to the creation of agencies like the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), and Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).

However, by 2013, 68% of Ugandan homesteads were still outside the money economy, prompting the launch of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) to distribute planting and breeding materials. OWC significantly increased household participation in the money economy to 67%.

OWC, like its predecessors, faced issues, including allegations of nepotism, poor-quality materials, and overpricing. This necessitated the introduction of the Parish Development Model (PDM), allowing people to organize and access government funds directly. PDM has been successful where implemented correctly, offering the first low-interest, mass credit in Uganda.

Claims by NAADS and UCDA that agricultural production success is due to their efforts are fraudulent. True credit belongs to government scientists, socio-economic reformers, and a stable government ensuring peace and regulation.

Historically, dairy production in Uganda has seen immense growth, from 200 million liters per year in 1966 to 5.3 billion liters today, thanks to concerted efforts despite opposition. The NRM government has rehabilitated and expanded commercial and industrial zones, directly benefiting local populations.

The NRM's efforts have led to Uganda exporting 9 million bags of coffee, earning USD 900 million. However, this is insufficient compared to the potential earnings from value addition. Africa earns only USD 2.5 billion from the global coffee value of USD 460 billion, while Germany earns USD 65 billion. We must strive for better returns for our resources.

We are investigating whether anti-rationalization crusaders might be influenced by external forces or are simply confused.

Signed:

Yoweri K. Museveni

President of Uganda

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This letter is published in Crown Media East Africa to keep Ugandans informed about ongoing government initiatives and the truth behind  our economic strategies.