Opposition behemoth, Dr. Kiiza Besigye has said there has been a deliberate pattern and a clear strategy by the regime to use the “captured institutions” to take control over the economy, adding that the recently signed controversial coffee deal is part of that strategy.
Besigye’s remarks follow public outcry regarding a coffee deal that was signed between the government and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited to establish a coffee processing plant at Namanve industrial park.
Several members of the public, especially those involved in the coffee sector have since protested against the deal.
Besigye says this is not an isolated “bad deal” as seems sometimes to be considered by Ugandans, adding that there are very clear patterns and a strategy that has been pursued over decades by the state to frustrate Ugandans in business.
Besigye claimed that the state has captured the land, the minerals, means of production, the markets and policies that relate all these issues hence leaving Ugandans at the mercy of God.
The former presidential candidate further claimed that the state uses the control of resources to control politics, adding that once it controls the money, it controls people.
Last week, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Ramadhan Ggoobi defended the coffee deal saying that it was cleared by the Attorney General.
Ggoobi explained that the agreement will support the government in the realisation of its coffee production target from the current seven million bags per year to 20 million bags by 2030.
