Speaker of Parliament Anita Among found herself in an awkward situation when a microphone picked up her controversial tribal remark during the discussion of the National Coffee Amendment Bill, 2024.
According to video posted on the verified X handle of The Kampala Journal, Among was overheard saying, “Make sure those Baganda don’t get the numbers,” sparking concerns about tribal bias in the legislative process.
The remark came as Parliament discussed the bill, which aims to transfer the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) back to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries.
This change is part of the government’s plan to reduce public agencies and streamline operations under its Rationalization of Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) policy.Daily Monitor reported that the discussion began at around 12:06 pm, with most contributions coming from opposition-leaning MPs who expressed strong opposition to the bill.
They argued that merging UCDA with the Ministry would weaken the coffee industry, a vital sector for Uganda’s economy.
Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao and State Minister for Agriculture, Lt Col (rtd) Bright Rwamirama, both spoke in favor of the bill, encouraging MPs to support the government’s decision.
They emphasized that the reform would improve the management of the UCDA and help achieve better results for the coffee sector.
However, Speaker Among’s comment has shifted focus away from the bill and onto concerns about tribalism in Parliament.
