We shall handle coffee deal report, says Among

The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, has dismissed allegations of a plot by the House to obstruct debate of the report findings about the coffee agreement signed between government and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited (UVCC).

While opening plenary proceedings yesterday afternoon, Ms Among assured legislators that her administration would ensure that the report tabling is included on the order paper and thereafter debated.

“Nobody should imagine that we are suffocating the report, we are here for the people outside. We are representatives of so many people; so when you start with those sentiments, it isn’t very good for you. Because when you start accusing the presiding officer, then you are accusing yourselves,” she said.

She, however, did not state the specific date on which the report would be tabled before the House and be debated.

Ms Among’s communication followed persistent demands by a section of legislators led by Opposition Chief Whip John Baptist Nambeshe and Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda to have the report on the order paper and debated in detail. 

The demand from MPs followed a revelation by the chairperson of the House’s Trade committee, Mr Mwine Mpaka, that his team had concluded investigations into the controversial coffee deal and were ready to present their findings to the House.

Since none of the plenary sessions convened last week had the item on the order paper, a section of the public and legislators feared that there were attempts to suffocate the report. 

But Speaker Among indicated that her administration is working in the interest of the public.

“I want to urge my brothers on the front bench [ministers]; where there are mistakes, just admit, we correct the mistakes and we move on,” Ms Among said. She added: “I mean we are all human beings bound to make mistakes and if you make a mistake, it doesn’t mean we criminalise you but we make sure we correct you. So the report will be out soon and you will debate it.”

The Speaker also rallied MPs to desist from distancing themselves from the proceedings in Parliament. She specifically advised them to avoid throwing accusations on some matters to the top leadership of Parliament, reasoning that all MPs are directly and indirectly affected by such matters.

“Anything that is in the House, don’t go outside and start talking about it. And don’t start demonising Parliament, and then you start saying Parliament has no powers to do anything. This House can make any decisions good or bad,” Ms Among said.

She added: “If you accuse the presiding officer, (then) you will be accusing yourself (because) it is about Parliament.”

Report findings 

At the weekend, this newspaper carried some findings contained in the leaked draft report prepared by Mr Mpaka and her team. The report, among others, calls for the cancellation of the deal and recommends that fresh negotiations be done between UVCC and government.

It also recommended that action be taken against government officials; the minister of Finance, the Attorney General and also the Finance ministry permanent secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, for their role in signing the deal.The report recommends that they be held liable for failing to guide the government rightly in the course of handling the deal and signing of the agreement. It also calls for a review of the legal provisions to guard against creation of monopolies.