5th November 2024.
By Isaac Senabulya
Opposition members of parliament vow to face off against the NRM party members of parliament to squarely defend the stay of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) which the government wants to abolish.
During a press briefing by the leader of the opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and opposition members of parliament held at parliament on Tuesday. Ssenyonyi said that they will fight for the economic empowerment of coffee farmers, despite reports of the looming arrest by security forces, during tomorrow's debate on the National Coffee Amendment Bill, 2024 that is seeking to abolish Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).
This comes at the time when the Parliament is expected to resume its sittings tomorrow to take the final decision on whether Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) will be abolished or not.
He castigated the government for riddling the debate of the UCDA merger with tribal and partisan sentiments, in an attempt to divide Ugandans.
“Tomorrow, we are going to start from where we stopped last week, we are determined to defend the economic empowerment of the people of Uganda, there has been many threats as I entered the parliament today, you saw the whole building was condoned off, we have heard that tomorrow is going to be worse,they are going to deploy many military, in uniform,plain clothes ,including inside the building,that is okay ,we are not here on the invitation any of those people and,none of them will intimidate us,” said Ssenyonyi.
He explained that “this is not a Buganda as we have seen some people trying to make it,the issue of coffee is an issue of Uganda but not Buganda ,so all those who are trying to divide the people of Uganda to make it seem that its them against you , no its all of us,”.
“The other aspect that is very imperative, this is not and should be a partisan issue,some people have tried to make it a fight between the opposition and NRM party members, that’s not true, I want to salute our colleagues from NRM party who joined us when we first handled this matter, they knew they were going to be threatened as is happening now but they said that the people they represent have told them,please let’s leave coffee alone,the people who have potential to crash you as an mp are your voters,” noted Ssenyonyi.
Asinansi Nyakato the Hoima City Woman Member of Parliament and Shadow Minister for Agriculture has also asked members to turn up in big numbers and participate in rescuing the soon to be grabbed farmer's only surviving source for livelihood (coffee).
She adds that MPs should not fear the security roadblocks for no one has powers to stop them (MPs) from accessing their workplace.
"We are here on the mandate of electorates who have said No, to Rationalization of the UCDA, why would anyone want to do contrary to what their bosses (voters) as for".
Asinansi has also challenged security operatives to desist from harassing Members of Parliament as they go about their business tomorrow,"we expect our brothers and sisters in uniform to respect their leaders and desist from intimidating leaders".
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