Parliament passed the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024, with amendments on Wednesday, amidst protests from opposition MPs and a media lockout.
The MPs approved the bill, which abolishes the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA). Its functions will now be transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture.
Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, announced that 305 MPs were physically present in the plenary session when the decision was made.
During the debate, Kiboga East MP Dr. Keefa Kiwanuka expressed community concerns about the potential decline of the coffee sector. He proposed that the Minister of Agriculture be required to regularly report to Parliament on the sector’s performance. However, this proposal was rejected following an objection from the Minister of State for Finance, Henry Musasizi.
Musasizi argued that the ministry is audited annually, and there are sufficient mechanisms to monitor the sector’s performance. He deemed the proposed clause unnecessary.
Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwanga, supported Musasizi’s stance and urged Kiwanuka to withdraw the proposal, which Parliament subsequently agreed to.
Kiwanuka had explained that his proposal was motivated by the political pressure surrounding the Coffee Bill.
After the bill’s passage, Among refuted allegations of a conflict of interest, stating that Rule 94 of the Rules of Procedure, as cited by the Leader of the Opposition, does not apply to the Speaker, who neither debates nor votes.
“We must note that Rule 94 on conflict of interest refers to a Member and not the Speaker or the Presiding Officer. By whatever name called, a Member is defined under Rule 2 of the Rules of Procedure, as a Member of Parliament. A Speaker, on the other hand is independently defined as the Speaker of Parliament and includes the Deputy Speaker. It is imperative to note that by command of Rule 7Z the Speaker shall not be part of the debate, but may give guidance to the House, on the matter before the House. In the circumstance therefore, the cited Rule is therefore inapplicable. I am not conflicted in any way. He (Ssenyonyi) cited a wrong Rule, I don’t vote and I don’t debate,” Ms Among said on Wednesday.
She thanked several MPs, including Abdul Katuntu, Asuman Basalirwa, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, and other opposition members from the FDC, UPC, and DP, who did not walk out during the bill’s passage.
