Farmers cry foul as middleman vanishes with coffee worth Shs413m

Workers weighing coffee at one of the factories in Mateete Industrial area in Sembabule District on January 16, 2025. PHOTO | ISSA ALIGA
What you need to know:
- The dealer had collected coffee beans from various stores and factories, promising to pay the farmers within two days, but has since gone into hiding
Coffee farmers and traders in Mateete Industrial area, Sembabule District, are reeling from a massive loss after a coffee dealer vanished with 29.5 tonnes of processed coffee worth Shs413 million.
The dealer had collected coffee beans from various stores and factories, promising to pay the farmers within two days, but has since gone into hiding.
"I trusted him and surrendered my coffee on credit, but he abandoned his home since then," said Mr Fred Kyakonyi, one of the affected farmers, who lost coffee worth Shs158 million. Other affected traders include Richard Nakana, Geoffrey Bbaale, Kasim Ntanda, Tadeo Kisekka, and Ivan Kasozi, among others.
Tadeo Kisekka, who is demanding Shs 54 million, expressed his desperation, saying, "I really don't know what to do next, we just pray that he [suspect] is safe where he is and ready to return and clear the outstanding debts."
Hajji Kamada Musiini, chairperson of the Sembabule Coffee Traders Association, revealed that they had been selling over 30 tonnes of coffee to the suspect monthly.
"We ask the Police to use its wider intelligence network to get that man. If he got financial challenges, let him come out and tell us," he urged.
Masaka Regional police spokesman, Twaha Kasirye, assured the affected farmers that they have launched investigations to establish the suspect's whereabouts.
"I can assure the affected coffee farmers that we will get the suspect whether dead or alive," he said.
Mr Lawrence Majwala, head of the coffee department at Masaka Cooperative Union, advised coffee traders to avoid selling their coffee to middlemen.
"Had they [coffee farmers] sold their coffee to a cooperative union, they wouldn't be suffering. We have a factory that processes coffee, and we pay money to our members as soon as they need it," he advised.
Masaka sub-region is one of the major coffee growing areas with almost 50 percent of households doing it as a business. A good number of the farmers grow cloned Robusta coffee which has the preferred Screen 18 bean size and has high demand.