As a result of the turbulent incidents that occurred in the Ugandan parliament on Wednesday during deliberations on the contentious National Coffee Amendment Bill, 2024, some members of parliament were subjected to arrest.
The law provoked a heated controversy owing to the anticipated changes that it would make to the coffee industry, including the reorganisation of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and the control of coffee production and marketing.
The opposition members of parliament have been quite loud in their opposition to the measure, stating that it would harm the autonomy of the coffee sector as well as the freedom of local farmers.
According to them, the law is crafted in such a way that it would be advantageous to giant coffee exporters at the cost of local growers.
Conflicts between members of parliament (MPs) over procedural concerns led to physical altercations and a temporary halt of proceedings during the session, which exacerbated the tensions that were already present.
