Museveni moves to arm coffee farmers to take on thieves

President Yoweri Museveni has announced plans to arm coffee farmers as a measure to combat the escalating theft of coffee crops in Uganda. 

Speaking last night during his end-of-year national address from his country home in Rwakitura, Museveni expressed frustration over the increasing cases of theft and premature harvesting of coffee beans, which he said threaten the quality of Uganda’s exports.

The president cited a recent report from UPDF in which farmers were found harvesting and drying premature coffee beans.

The farmers admitted rushing to harvest the coffee before it could be stolen by local deliquents.

“If the concerned people do not act, I will involve the UPDF to empower all our wealth creators, the farmers, to guard their property by activating the vast militia of our LDUs,” Museveni announced.

“It will not be good for those thieves. Once we arm the villagers to defend their gardens, it will not be good for the thieves.”

Impact of Coffee Theft on Farmers and Exports

The president’s announcement comes amidst reports of violent robberies targeting coffee plantations and storage facilities. 

Farmers in areas like Bukomansimbi have suffered losses, with thieves not only stealing coffee beans but also damaging trees, which compromises the quality of Uganda’s coffee exports.

Museveni in his speech stressed the importance of maintaining high standards to protect Uganda’s reputation in the international coffee market. 

“Harvesting immature coffee will affect the quality of our coffee internationally. It is not acceptable,” he said.

The rise in coffee theft is linked to increased global demand and high prices, driven by droughts in major coffee-producing countries like Brazil and Vietnam. 

Communities Take Matters into Their Own Hands

In Bukomansimbi, residents have implemented tough measures, including banning the night transport of coffee and threatening to confiscate property from thieves and their conspirators. 

Some community leaders have even resorted to mob justice, though local authorities have cautioned against such actions.

Deputy Resident District Commissioner Fred Kalemba Pax called for collaboration with security forces and announced plans to use sniffer dogs to track down criminals. 

He attributed the surge in thefts to reduced community vigilance.