By Our Reporter
Masindi—In a dramatic policy reversal that has sent ripples through the sugarcane belt of Bunyoro, Minister for Trade, Industry and cooperatives, Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi has effectively overturned the earlier directive by internal affairs minister, Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, ordering the immediate reinstatement of poor farmers’ weighbridges in Masindi District.
The development follows weeks of tension after a controversial order reportedly sought the uprooting of privately established farmers’ weighbridges a move that triggered outrage among outgrowers who argued the installations were essential in safeguarding them against exploitation by millers.
Weighbridges As Facilitation Tools, Not Revenue Centres
Addressing stakeholders, Gen. Mbadi underscored that the weighbridges are not commercial revenue points but facilitation mechanisms designed to empower farmers.
“There should be no financial transactions at the weighbridges. They are purely facilitation tools to help farmers ascertain their tonnage before delivering cane to the intended millers,” Mbadi emphasized.
He clarified that the installations are units of measurement accessible to the public, intended to ensure transparency and fairness in cane trade, particularly in disputes over tonnage determination.
Co-Existence, Not Monopoly
In remarks widely interpreted as directed at Kinyara Sugar Limited, Mbadi stressed the necessity of harmonious coexistence among industry players.
“Kinyara must co-exist with other players. Learn to co-exist with other industry players because you need them as they need you,” Mbadi was quoted as stating.
The statement appeared to challenge any perceived monopolistic tendencies within the sugar sector, particularly amid complaints that independent farmers have often found themselves at the mercy of dominant millers.
Branding Trucks To Combat Theft
The Minister also addressed rising concerns over cane theft, directing that trucks transporting sugarcane be branded for easy identification.
Branding, he noted, would help authorities trace and hold accountable those involved in theft of cane, a vice that has exacerbated mistrust between growers, transporters, and millers.
RDC To Coordinate Stakeholders
To streamline operations and avert further conflict, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) will convene a stakeholders’ meeting to determine designated locations for the reinstated weighbridges.
Stakeholders are expected to return on Thursday with agreed positions on the zoning of the weighbridge sites before final submission to the Minister.
Background To The Saga
The controversy erupted following a directive attributed to Gen. Otafiire ordering the removal of the farmers’ weighbridges — a decision that many growers interpreted as undermining their bargaining power. The directive also contradicted the president’s directives on a he same, and the laws governing the sector.
Farmers had insisted that without independent weighbridges, they were vulnerable to discrepancies in tonnage readings at factory-controlled facilities, potentially leading to financial losses.
Mbadi’s intervention now marks a significant shift in the government’s posture, restoring the installations and reaffirming their role in protecting farmer interests.
As the dust settles, attention turns to Thursday’s stakeholders’ meeting, which is expected to shape the operational framework for the reinstated weighbridges and determine whether the uneasy truce within Masindi’s sugar industry can hold. Watch the space….
