KAMPALA – It has emerged that Italian Enrica Pinetti in February 2022 only signed as a witness as the Government of Uganda inked Shs 284 billion controversial coffee agreement with Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited [UVCCL].
Part of the document that this reporter has seen, shows that Pinetti signed on behalf of UVCCL as a witness in the capacity of the company’s board chairperson. Moses Matovu signed as company secretary of the company that is to process and export coffee for 10 years without paying taxes.
On the other hand, finance Minister Matia Kasaijja signed on behalf of the Government of Uganda, with Ramathan Ggoobi, the ministry’s permanent secretary signing as a witness on the side of the Ugandan Government.
The latest revelation creates more controversy since the signed document has a blank space left for someone [principal signatory] on the side of UVCCL to append the signature.
Questions are emerging as to why the government let such a thing to happen.
“I have never seen such as thing where a principal signatory to the agreement cannot be identified,” said a Kampala lawyer, adding that government must respect Ugandans.
“This government has been educating Ugandans. It cannot now expect to fool them,” he said, urging coffee stakeholders in the country to seek legal redress.
Minister Kasaijja and PS Ggoobi have defended the 10-year agreement, saying that government UVCCL offered to invest US$ 80 million [about Shs 284bln], an investment, Ggoobi said no other company had suggested.
This money will be invested in the processing of coffee locally and then the finished product be exported to what he called virgin markets in Europe and elsewhere.
The minister of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries Frank Tumwebaze denied having an input in the agreement, as he was not contacted.
Solicitor General Francis Atoke also says he was not contacted and that he doesn’t know what it entails. Besides the Solicitor General is supposed to work hand in hand with the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanu General who approved the agreement.
Various stakeholders in the coffee value chain have castigated the government for signing an agreement that gives UVCCL a 10-year tax holiday on top of trying to give the new company a monopoly of exporting Uganda’s coffee. The country grows both Arabica and Robusta coffee types.
The Democratic Party (DP) has announced plans to seek court redress on the agreement it violates Article 40 of the constitution, which gives Ugandans equal economic rights.
The plans were revealed yesterday by DP’s deputy legal advisor who also doubles as MP for Mityana South Constituency, Richard Lumu, while addressing the media in Kampala.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has directed the Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry to interrogate officials over the deal.
The committee led by Mwine Mpaka has as such summoned Kasaijja, Ggoobi, Penetti, Atoke and Kiryowa Kiwanuka, among others.
The Chairman of Bugisu Cooperative Union who doubles as Budadiri West MP has also threatened to drag the government to court unless it cancels the coffee agreement, adding that the deal will enslave Ugandans.
Several other coffee cooperatives and companies have also castigated the agreement, asking the government if it no longer believes in a liberalized economy it helped create.
The signing of the controversial agreement coffee at the time when Uganda has withdrawn from the International Coffee Organization [ICO] which brings together coffee producers and buyers.
There is also a new coffee law that requires licensing of all entities in the coffee value chain, some farmers want the law reviewed.
https://thecooperator.news/ugandans-roast-ps-ggoobi-on-twitter-over-controversial-coffee-deal/
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