MP irked by absence of agric ministers during govt agencies' rationalisation

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KAMPALA - Lwemiyaga county Member of Parliament (MP) Theodore Ssekikubo has accused the four ministers of disrespect.

The accusation stems from the ministers' absence during the ongoing process by Parliament to rationalise government agencies, especially those related to their ministry.

Ssekikubo was particularly irked when Parliament voted in favour of the return of the Trypanosomiasis Control Council to the agriculture ministry because they completed their mandate of managing trypanosomiasis.

Ssekibubo added that the absence of all four ministers is a sign of disrespect of Ugandans employed in the agriculture sector.

“This is a very important Bill that concerns us as far as tsetse fly control is concerned. I note with concern, the sheer neglect of this core ministry. The business in this House isn’t for formality, they should respect Ugandans who wait to see them discharge duties on their behalf. I know you had magnanimously allowed it to go on, but we don’t look good,” Ssekikubo said.

UCDA, DDA transfer blocked

In the same sitting on Friday, April 19, 2024, Parliament also stopped the transfer of Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), Diary Development Authority (DDA) and Cotton Development Authority to the agriculture ministry.

The agriculture committee noted that abolishing it would affect the incomes of over 12 million Ugandans from the 87 milk-producing districts mainly in the cattle corridor.

“The dairy industry provides employment to about 12 million people, and the dairy value chain is dominated by smallholder farmers, service providers, traders and processors, among others. The industry also provides food and income for more than 40% of the population of the country,” Janet Okori-Moe, committee chair added.

They added that from the time of its establishment in 1998, following the collapse of the industry in 1986 to the time of its revival in 2000, milk collection increased from 3,043,000 litres to 3.9 billion litres by 2023. 

The committee defended their recommendations adding that the number of milk collection centres have increased from about 15 in 1986 to 547 in 2023, while the milk processing companies have increased from just one (Dairy Corporation Limited) with a processing capacity of 60,000 litres per day in 1986 to 160 processing companies with a processing capacity of 3.9 million litres per day.

Dairy exports have more than tripled from shillings 287.4 billion to 976.4 billion from 2019-2023. And now, Uganda is in the final stages of penetrating the Algerian market which will fetch the country about $500 million annually.

Okori-Moe, however, called for continued monitoring and inspection of countries where milk exports go to by competent and autonomous regulatory authorities to ensure safety and quality of the dairy products therefore this rationalization risks jeopardising such milestones,” she added.

Other agencies saved by Parliament include Uganda Coffee Development Authority, (UCDA) National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) and Cotton Development Authority.

All four agriculture ministers were absent, forcing industry state minister David Bahati to represent them.

At the time of the rationalisation process, animal husbandry state minister is reportedly in Botswana following the directive of the President of Uganda arising from the sideline engagement between the two Presidents during the NAM and G77 Summits in Kampala.

Agriculture state minister Fred Kyakulaga Bwino is representing Uganda at the 33rd Regional Conference for Africa in Rabat, Morocco which is discussing ways of addressing resilient food systems and inclusive rural transformation, according to posts from their X handles.