Museveni summons NRM-MPs to discuss on Controversial Coffee deal

By Francis Lubega

25^th April 2022

President Yoweri Museveni has summoned the National Resistance Movement -NRM parliamentary Caucus for an urgent meeting on Tuesday this week at 2pm to discuss issues affecting the country’s economy.

Speaking to the caucus Spokesperson Alex Brandon Kintu says that the extraordinary meeting will be conducted at Kololo Independence ground and will be chaired by the party chairperson who is also the President of Uganda, His Excellence Yoweri Museveni.

According to Kintu, all NRM- MPs are supposed to carry on the Covid-19 tests this Monday yet those upcountry legislatures must go to government hospitals for testing.

Among the issues to be discussed are the increasing commodity prices, the controversial coffee bill and other issues of the party especially regarding the NRM party manifesto.

This comes at a time when local processors continue to debate the controversial Coffee Agreement that has caused public uproar after the information recently showed that Enrica Pinetti, the foreign investor behind Uganda Vinci Coffee Company, signed the deal as a witness.

A leaked February 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) shows that the deal was signed by Finance Minister Matia Kasaija on behalf of government, in the presence of Ramathan Ggoobi, the Permanent Secretary of the Finance Ministry.

Meanwhile, on the issue of appointing the new Government Chief whip, Kintu said that the mandate lies to the appointing authority but not the party caucus and it wouldn’t be a matter on this meeting’s agenda.

The position of the NRM government chief whip fell vacant after the elevation of the former chief whip Thomas Tayebwa to the position of deputy speaker.

However Brandon said that the office of the Chief whip is not vacant since the Vice Government Chief Whip Herbert Kinobere took over the responsibilities as an acting.