Coffee nursery operators in the Greater Mubende region are demanding that the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) settle outstanding payments for coffee seedlings supplied to the government since 2022. During a meeting at Mubende District Headquarters, the operators said the delays had caused severe financial hardship, with some losing property and others facing asset seizure over unpaid bank loans. The meeting was attended by the ministry's Assistant Commissioner Rauben Keimwisya, district officials and representatives from the Greater Mubende Coffee Nursery Operators Association.
Efrance Nakiguli, chairperson of the Greater Mubende Coffee Nursery Operators Association, said the operators had made repeated attempts to resolve the issue without success. "We have many people demanding their money. We have tried to reach out to various offices, but up to now, nothing has been paid. They invested a lot of money, and we are requesting that they be considered," Nakiguli said. Noeline Kakooza, chairperson of Mubende Coffee Nursery Operators, described borrowing money to supply the government and subsequently losing property to banks and moneylenders.
Some operators reported waiting even longer for payment. Annet Nakimera, a coffee nursery operator under the Association of Children and Wives of Disabled Soldiers, revealed that her organisation had been demanding payment for supplies dating back to 2019. "We supplied seedlings in 2019. At the time, I had a young boy who is now seven years old, but the government has never paid us our money," Nakimera said. The operators also complained that they were being excluded from new supply opportunities, with recent seedling distributions sourced from outside Mubende despite local operators having seedlings ready.
Mubende Principal Assistant Secretary Edson Ssali called on the government to address the grievances, noting that similar situations had prompted protests across the country. Mubende Municipality Assistant Resident District Commissioner Benon Tibyasa expressed concern that prolonged delays could discourage farmers from participating in the money economy. In response, Assistant Commissioner Keimwisya stated that the original outstanding amount was Shs33 million, with part already paid, leaving a balance of approximately Shs22 million. He assured operators that the government was making arrangements to settle the remaining balance soon, though he disputed claims that arrears dated to 2019, saying those payments had been cleared.
The operators also raised concerns about unregistered and uncertified coffee nurseries operating in the district, warning that farmers risked being exploited through substandard or counterfeit seedlings. Keimwisya directed local authorities to stop the operations of uncertified dealers, warning they could compromise coffee quality and production. The Greater Mubende region comprises five districts: Mubende, Mityana, Kassanda, Kiboga and Kyankwanzi, with coffee among the region's leading agricultural crops. For coffee nursery operators and others supplying goods on credit to government, outstanding payments for years have created cash flow crises that threaten their ability to invest in future production and risk losing collateral to lenders.