KAMPALA – A group of coffee Farmers under the umbrella body of Devoted Coffee Farmers Initiative Uganda have closed part of Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road as they matched in a large group to Ministry of Finance in demand for their unpaid arrears of 42 billion shillings from the government.
This amount accumulated from the supply of Coffee seedlings to various farmers on behalf of Uganda Coffee Development Association (UCDA) in 2020, however the delayed payment has been was blamed on the delayed release of the funds by ministry of Finance.
The Nursery bed operators from various parts of the country who had posters , banners with message of dissatisfaction of how they have been treated, sat in the middle of the road heading to Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Planning asking officials from the ministry to come out and address their grievances because they have suffered enough.
“We want our money because government officials have been tossing us for a very long period of time . I supplied coffee five years now but they have never paid me yet I used a lot of money from various sources to raise those seedlings.” One of the angry farmers charged at Police officers
Sofia Kabwoho , supplier from Kasese district on addressing the media in Kampala expressed dissatisfaction with the delay of paying their money saying that it is causing her to have sleepless nights due to a number of challenges she face.
“I have been arrested by money lenders more than two times having failed to service the loan I acquired from them. I want to pay back people’s Money so that I can also enjoy my peace as any law abiding Ugandan.” She added
Stephen Onecho from Nebbi districts revealed that they invested their money with a hope of improving their well being, but it turned out to be the opposite because currently majority of them can’t even afford to pay school fees for their children which makes them to look irresponsible well as not.
The Police officers guarding at Ministry of Finance and other neighboring buildings intervened and dispersed the farmers who left vowing not to seat back until when they are paid their money.
Hon. Matia Kasaija , the Minister for Finance Planning and Economic Development urged the farmers to be patient because government is in the final process of settling all their arrears.
“Government will pay them their money, but they should know that there are some ongoing processes like verification which they have to wait for. Protesting doesn’t help them at all.”
Kasaija added that they are in the process of holding an engagement with all suppliers about the progress of the matter.
A week ago , the group of Nursery bed operators matched to Parliament with a petition seeking for Speaker’s intervention to have their money fully paid.
However when UCDA’s managing director, Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye was contacted about the matter , he asked the suppliers to be patient because he is aware of their matter but the Ministry of Finance was in the process of solving the matter.
A week ago , the group of Nursery bed operators matched to Parliament with a petition seeking for Speaker’s intervention to have their money fully paid.
However when UCDA’s managing director, Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye was contacted about the matter , he asked the suppliers to be patient because he is aware of their matter but the Ministry of Finance was in the process of solving the matter.
