The forthcoming meeting is expected to put Ssegawa and Dr. Lugero’s competing documents under scrutiny as the Lands Ministry seeks to establish the lawful status of the disputed property and determine what, if any, compensation may be due.
This year’s event is being held under the theme “Empowering the IK Community of Karamoja through Coffee Farming to End Poverty.” The theme reflects the organizers’ broader ambition to use coffee farming as a tool for economic empowerment while drawing attention to communities facing poverty and limited livelihood opportunities.
Lukwago referred to Among as “a creature of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni” who was kidnapped from the opposition ranks in order to work as a procurement agent to politicians defecting to Museveni’s camp.
Ssenyonyi’s campaign kicked off in Bukomansimbi, Uganda’s top coffee-producing district, on November 19, 2024, where he rallied farmers to keep growing coffee.
Ssenyonyi demanded President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to verify his claims that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) was giving seedlings only to opposition MPs and leaving out their NRM counterparts.
On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, parliament passed the Coffee Amendment Bill, which caused chaos in parliament after Francis Zaake (NUP) and Anthony Akol (FDC) exchanged blows over a chair.
The government of Uganda is well conversant that coffee is a critical part of the economy, and its importance is growing with over 1.8 million households growing coffee, which contributes nearly a third of the country's export earnings, paying for critical infrastructure like roads, hospitals, and schools.
The National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024, will be carried on to the Bills Committee stage for clause-by-clause scrutiny after 159 members voted in its favor against 77 opposing members.