Kyagulanyi pledges cocoa factories for Bundibugyo

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, has pledged  to help farmers in Bundibugyo District add value to cocoa.

 Addressing a rally at Kirumya Catholic Church playground in Ntotoro amid heavy security deployment on Tuesday, Mr Kyagulanyi said cocoa farming is a big source of income which can transform people’s lives.

The district commercial officer, Mr John Musinguzi, said Uganda exported more than 30,204 tonnes of cocoa beans in 2016, earning $73.7m (Shs273b). Currently, a kilogramme of cocoa costs Shs6,500. 

Data from the district commercial office also indicates that about Shs150b is earned annually from cocoa and 85 per cent of the district population depends on cocoa.

 Also Swisscontact, a global company that promotes cocoa and vanilla growing, indicates Uganda’s cocoa exports hit Shs244b ($72.56m) by December 2016. 

Mr Kyagulanyi, who started his campaigns in Rwenzori sub-region on Monday, said if elected president in January 2021, he will establish cocoa processing factories in the district to benefit all farmers and dealers.

“Bundibugyo is the major cocoa producer in this country, but it’s very annoying that you don’t have any cocoa factory to add value to this golden crop. But you shouldn’t worry because I am going to do that for you. It will be very essential to re-organise the cocoa farming business to enable our farmers to obtain high prices. This will also create employment opportunities for the youth,” Mr Kyagulanyi said.

He added that since Bundibugyo is among the districts that have been hit hard by floods and landslides, his government will put mitigation strategies such as conserving the environment and extending reliable relief support to the affected communities.

The Ministry of Relief Disaster preparedness and Refugees hazard, risk and vulnerability profile 2016, reveals that Bundibugyo is prone to natural disasters such as flooding, landslides, drought and wild animal attacks on crops.

Govt promises 

Government through the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) has for many years promised to set up a cocoa factory in Bundibugyo but this has remained a mere pledge.

 During the Rwenzori Investment Expo held at Mountains of the Moon University in Fort Portal on January 30 and 31, UDC said they were exploring the prospects of partnering with private sector players to set up a cocoa derivatives factory in Bundibugyo.

On August 12, 2017, President Museveni tweeted, on @KagutaMuseveni, saying Bundibugyo is a big cocoa producer but had been abandoned due to insecurity. “But we’ve restored peace & they are back to cocoa production”

How Bobi accessed Bundibugyo

Mr Kyagulanyi was denied access to Bundibugyo town and was also forced by security to hold his rally at Kirumya Catholic Church playgrounds, about 10km away.

On his way to Bundibugyo from Fort Portal, he was denied access  through the main Bundibugyo-Fort Portal highway. 

He was diverted after Karugutu through the old murram road that snakes up in the hills of Semliki National Park that overlooks DR Congo and the Western Rift Valley basin.

The NUP  flag bearer for Bundibugyo District Woman MP seat Ms Harriet Musumba, accused security of blocking people from accessing the venue.

 “It is unfortunate that all roads were blocked by police and most of our members were denied access to the venue. People who were standing along the road to wave to our president were chased away,” Ms Musumba claimed.

Mr Franklin Muhindo, the NUP district chairperson,  wondered why security blocked their supporters from accessing the venue yet they had a harmonised programme with the authorities.

Bundibugyo supporters gave Kyagulanyi a Lhukonzo name, Musabulhi, meaning the saviour. 

What cocoa means to Bundibugyo

Mr Felix Opio from Swisscontact says cocoa farming was introduced in Uganda and piloted in Bundibugyo, Mukono, and Hoima in 1965. 

Mr Opio said currently Uganda is ranked 6th leading cocoa-producing country in Africa and 70 per cent of Uganda’s cocoa production comes from Bundibugyo. 

He said about 99 per cent of Uganda’s cocoa is exported as raw beans mainly to Malaysia, Singapore, Netherlands, Germany, and Japan.

Mr Methodius Balyesima, the general manager Semliki Cooperative Union, which comprises 16 cooperatives with 7000 cocoa farmers, said during the harvesting period farmers under the union sell 350 tonnes of cocoa worth Shs2.9b.