President Yoweri Museveni has called on farmers in the country to stop harvesting premature coffee saying that processors of the crop should reject premature coffee beans and strive to ensure totally eradication of the vice.
“Stop harvesting premature coffee. It compromises the quality of the finished product. This vice affects Uganda’s competitiveness in the world market. All processors should reject such premature coffee beans and ensure that we totally eliminate this vice,” he said.
The President made the call in Kikwaya Sub-County of Kakumiiro District Bunyoro Sub-Region during the launching of Kikwaya coffee factory. The investment belongs to Mzee Karoli Kamanyire, a prominent liberation war veteran. The facility has an installed capacity of processing 10 tons of coffee per day. The President facilitated the processor to resume production following the destruction of machines during an attack by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) bandits. Mzee Kamanyire’s other family ventures, among others, piggery, a flourmill and carpentry work.
Mr. Museveni urged farmers in the area to increase coffee output so that the factory’s potential benefits the community in Bunyoro Sub-Region. He urged wananchi to stop sleeping and alcoholism and expend their energies to create household wealth.
He said the policy of the NRM Government is to transform Sub-Counties into mini industrial zones adding that plans were underway to provide the youth with grain and feed mills to facilitate income generation. Under this arrangement, he said, they will be able to produce starch for use in manufacturing medical tablets and that furniture workshops would be established in all parts of the country to stop dependence on supplies from Kampala.
Mr. Museveni commended Mzee Kamanyire for creating income. He stressed that his visit to Kakumiro today serves to mark memories of their experiences on the 6thFebruary 1981 when the then NRA passed through the area after attacking Kabamba barracks.
He observed that the people of Bunyoro Sub-Region have got the potential to generate good income from milk production like Kiruhuura District in South Western Uganda, which has 18 Sub-Counties, with 296 milk plants.
On the issue of environment, the President cautioned the people against deforestation and cultivating in wetlands. He said that the water bodies are the key facilities to ensure success in the irrigation schemes that will sustain agro-production activities throughout the years.
Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Hon. Matia Kasaija, informed residents that Government will build the premises of Kikwaya Sub-County.
Kakumiro District LC5 Chairman, Joseph Sentayi, appealed to President Museveni to intervene in the issue of investors who are attempting to deny sitting tenants their privilege of receiving land titles from Government under the programme of compensating absentee land lords.
Mzee Karoli Kamanyire saluted President Museveni for the revival and upgrading of his coffee factory.