Masaka coffee farmers ask for improved security in region to check theft

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of farmers in Masaka District is appealing to the government to reawaken the heightened security deployment similar to the one implemented during COVID-19, as a viable response to the rampant theft of coffee and livestock.

The different parts of the area are grappling with a new wave of criminality that is characterized by thugs who raid people’s homes and plantations, mainly targeting livestock and agricultural produce such as coffee.

In several instances, the thieves have broken into coffee stores of mid-sized farmers and off-takers, causing them huge losses.

During a joint stakeholders’ engagement on citizens’ needs and governance aspirations organised by the Community Transformation Network (COTFONE), the residents proposed that the government revisit the vigorous security deployments similar to the one used in the enforcement of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in 2021.

At the height of the Covid-19 situation, President Yoweri Museveni increased security deployment of both police and army personnel, with express instructions to, among other things, ensure total adherence to all prevention guidelines that included stopping night movements. The affected residents, led by Mudashuru Bbaale, the Deputy Speaker for Kyesiiga sub-county in Masaka, decried the rampant theft cases registered in the area, a problem he says is frustrating farmers.

He indicates that it is high time the government rolled out unusual security deployments of both personnel and patrol vehicles to secure the communities and their properties.

The residents prefer that such a non-classical security deployment be activated, especially during the harvesting period when thieves usually go on a rampage.

On the other hand, the residents also appealed to the government to increase the number of agricultural extension workers to support farmers with timely guidance and updates for improved production.

Fred Ssendege, a farmer in Bukoto parish, Buwunga sub-county, observes that the current deployment structure of one agricultural extension worker per sub-county is ineffective, given the high demand for their services to meet farmers’ aspirations.

He prefers that in the next term of office, the government consider deploying at least one extension worker per parish as a deliberate attempt to improve agricultural output for increased earnings.

Rosemary Nakasagga, the project’s coordinator at the Community Transformation Network (COTFONE), says their teams have captured all the proposals the communities are raising during the various engagements, and they intend to combine them into a working document they will eventually share with the duty bearers, including aspirants for various political offices.

She indicates that they chose to organise the community dialogues ahead of the political campaigns to use them as a platform for citizens to voice their concerns, share their aspirations, and discuss their priorities for the upcoming elections.

“These consultations are a critical part of the ongoing process of generating citizens’ aspirations, which will ultimately guide the development of the regional and national citizen charters,” she says.

However, Billy Janet Mulindwa, the Masaka Resident District Commissioner, pledged that she will present the concerns to the district security committee, which will jointly agree on a practical solution to eliminate theft.

In the meantime, she called upon the lower local council leaders to reactivate their village security committee and heighten vigilance such that they can report any suspicious characters in their communities.

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