“I call upon members who have challenges in the party and those with different views to attend the retreat to present all their views and challenges. Here we dont fear different views because we have the brains to resolve issues,” Mao said.
"I see people on social media saying that I promised them a transition and asking how it has not happened. Firstly, you don't believe in me. You don't believe in cooperation, yet at the same time you ask, 'Why are you not doing this?’ During the speakership race, you saw that NRM said that I'm not NRM. I think the speakership race answered that big question," Mao noted.
The alliance comprised leaders from the opposition political parties, such as JEEMA, the Conservative Party, and NEED, to fill gaps in previous and existing political alliances and push for democracy, financial freedom, constructive dialogue, and stakeholder leadership.
The parasitic nature of these agencies and authorities promoted waste and parasitism. The 2016/2017 public resource spending figures showed that agencies and authorities were taking UGX 2.2 trillion and the ministries UGX 2.6 trillion with duplication of responsibilities. The conducted survey indicated that agencies like UCDA were corrupt and wasteful, with officers awarding themselves contracts, supplying poor-quality, overpriced materials, and not delivering on time.
Putting in mind the above scenarios with undisputed data from reliable sources and the voices of the coffee farmers who they claim to be fighting for, after meeting Katikiro Charles Peter Mayiga, they shared that UCDA has not been of help to them as coffee farmers and that they should be left to embrace the president’s decision of rationalization.
UCDA was established in 1991 under the Uganda Coffee Development Authority Act, Cap. 325, which was repealed and replaced by the National Coffee Act No. 17 of 2021. The authority’s mandate includes regulating activities within the coffee value chain, promoting coffee quality, supporting research and development, and optimizing earnings for stakeholders in the sector.
Among the reforms that Mao was suggesting was for the court to allow the petitioners of the presidential election more time to collect and file evidence.