Civil society wants Vinci coffee agreement cancelled

By Ritah Kemigisa

The civil society is demanding that the government cancels at all cost the latest coffee processing agreement signed with the Controversial Italian Investor Enrica Pinetti under her Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited.

Under the signed agreement, Pinetti’s Vinci coffee Company is expected to construct a 80M USD Integrated coffee processing plant at Namanve industrial park and also market the finished coffee products  in Europe and Middle East.

Speaking to KFM, the Food Rights Alliance Executive director Agnes Kirabo casts doubt on the feasibility of the Vinci project saying it is dead on arrival arguing that it will only destroy the local processors and the economy.

According to Kirabo, it is unfair to give tax incentives to the new investor and yet the locals are struggling to meet the tax dues.

Kirabo is meanwhile advising the government to go back to the drawing table, involve all stakeholders in the coffee sector, the ministry of Agriculture inclusive and negotiate a better deal that benefits all Uganda coffee farmers.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna