Africa-Press – Uganda. Internal bickering among leaders of Bukulula Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd in Kalungu District has paralysed operations of a coffee processing plant for two years .
The government donated the Shs235m coffee processing plant through the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) to enable them add value to their produce.
The fight pits Mr Paul Musoke ,the former chairperson of the governing committee of the cooperative, against the new leadership led by Mr Yusuf Nsubuga.
Each accuses the other of crippling the cooperative’s activities. The misunderstandings stem from how the Shs235m grant was spent by Mr Musoke’s leadership.
Mr Suleiman Kakembo, a member of the cooperative, said the disputes have denied the elected leaders a chance to assume office and scrutinise the cooperative’s books of accounts.
“We heard there were irregular transactions made using funds that members used to save in order to start up the cooperative , but we have not got the right information since leaders are not in office ,” he said on Sunday.
Mr Kakembo said the divisions have also prompted members to take sides.
“Bukulula Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society has about 300 active farmers with a capacity of producing more than 20 tonnes per season, but many take their coffee elsewhere for processing,’’ he added.
Some members also complained about the quality of coffee hurlers that were procured claiming they can hardly process coffee.
They say the cooperative does not pay farmers immediately after selling their coffee unlike other factories in the area.
While contacted, Mr Nsubuga blamed Mr Musoke and his team of failing to account for funds spent during his tenure yet members are demand accountability.
“I don’t have a grudge with him [Musoke], but I cannot just assume office when the previous leadership has totally failed to prepare a handover report and also give accountability of the funds spent during their time in office, this cooperative belongs to members not individuals ,’’ Nsubuga said.
However ,Mr Musoke said Mr Nsubuga knows how the cooperative was running since he was serving as vice chairperson of the governing committee .
“ Our coffee hurler faced that challenge [of cutting the coffee beans]during the testing phase and we solved it afterwards, it currently, it operates normally and any member is free to use it at any time,’’ he said.
According to an official in the production department who preferred anonymity, they have on several occasions tried to amicably solve the Cooperative issues in vain.
“ If their differences were only on the management of the factory , we could have resolved them long time ago ,but both the old and new leaders seem to have other problems which they don’t share with us,” he said.
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