Museveni Pledges Coffee Processing Facility for Ibanda

Ibanda – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the party’s flag-bearer for the 2026 elections, has pledged to support coffee farmers in Ibanda District by establishing a coffee processing facility aimed at enhancing productivity, improving quality, and boosting household incomes through value addition.

The President announced on Saturday, 29th November 2025, while addressing thousands of supporters at Kagongo Demonstration School playground in Ibanda District, as he intensified his campaign trail across the Ankole sub-region.

Ibanda, one of Uganda’s leading coffee-producing districts, grows both Arabica and Robusta coffee, with Arabica flourishing particularly well in the high-altitude ranges of the Rwenzori ecosystem. Coffee farming remains a major economic activity for the district, making the President’s pledge a significant development opportunity.

“You, the people of Ibanda, already know what to do. Therefore, I will help you establish a coffee processing facility that you have proposed here to add value to your coffee,” President Museveni told the cheering crowd.

He added that the government would continue supporting farmers under the Parish Development Model (PDM), including through free coffee seedlings sourced from government nursery beds and his personal nurseries at Kisozi.

“We shall continue with the PDM money and also give you free coffee seedlings from the government nursery beds that we shall establish,” President Museveni said.

“PDM will continue where people invest in whatever they want—poultry, pigs, goats, and others.”

Ibanda’s Coffee Footprint

NRM District Chairperson Hon. Jovrine Kaliisa Kyomukama highlighted Ibanda’s impressive coffee production profile, noting that the district has 28,062 acres of coffee, producing 14,381 tons annually and generating up to Shs 178 billion.

Despite strong performance, she noted that many farmers still lack modern dryers, hullers, and processing equipment at the parish level.

“The coffee you gave us through PDM has done wonders, leading to improved coffee production at the household level,” she said. “But we need dryers per parish and coffee hullers.”

Coffee farmers at the rally shared testimonies underscoring the district’s growing agricultural prosperity.

Mr Mutabaazi Wilbroad of Nyabuhikye Sub-county revealed that he earns more than Shs 40 million per season from his 8-acre coffee farm. “From one acre, I get about Shs 8 million per season, meaning Shs 16 million per year,” he said.

President Museveni praised these success stories, noting the transformative power of coffee on household livelihoods. He reiterated that Uganda now earns US$2 billion annually from coffee exports. “Coffee has created wealth for households and for the country as well,” he emphasised.

PDM Progress in Ibanda

According to official statistics presented at the rally, PDM implementation in Ibanda is progressing steadily.

Ibanda District (40 SACCOs) received Shs 14.39 billion, with Shs 12.39 billion (86.07%) disbursed to 12,391 households.

Ibanda Municipality (21 SACCOs) received Shs 7.50 billion, with Shs 6.45 billion (85.96%) disbursed to 6,454 households.

Combined, the district and municipality have received Shs 21.9 billion.

President Museveni urged parish and sub-county leaders to ensure that remaining households also benefit. He warned the public against mixing up development and personal wealth creation.

“Development is for all of us – schools, roads, hospitals. But wealth and poverty are personal. We need households to embrace wealth creation,” he said.

He reiterated the government’s 4-acre model, where farmers dedicate one acre to coffee, one to fruits, one to food crops, and one to zero-grazing livestock, while using backyards for poultry, piggery, or fish farming.

NRM Achievements and Peace in the Region

President Museveni used the rally to outline the seven major contributions of the NRM, as highlighted in the 2026–2031 manifesto. He reminded supporters of the value of peace in Ibanda, noting that past threats from armed groups in the Kamwenge forests had been neutralised. “You, the people of Ibanda, know what peace means,” he said. “Those who wanted to disrupt this peace were dealt with.”

He emphasised ongoing and planned infrastructure investments, including several major road projects. The President assured residents that the Mbarara–Ibanda road would undergo full repair, alongside works on Ishaka–Bushenyi, Ibanda–Kagongo–Kabujogera–Kamwenge, and Nyamarebe–Kyegegwa routes.

He also said he would consider establishing a ferry across Lake George to stimulate trade between Rubanda, Rubirizi, and Kasese districts.

Hon. Kyomukama noted that poor transport across the lake forces residents to take risky alternatives, especially when moving livestock.

Development and Job Creation

The President pointed out that Ibanda performs well in accessibility to government schools and health facilities but urged residents to focus on generating wealth alongside enjoying improved social services.

He cited the rapid expansion of industrial parks—such as Sino-Mbale Industrial Park with 75 factories and Namanve Industrial Park with over 270 factories—as proof of the NRM’s commitment to job creation.

“These employ far more Ugandans than government institutions, which have only 480,000 jobs for a population nearing 50 million,” he said.

To demonstrate opportunities in commercial agriculture, he referenced success stories such as: Johnson Basangwa, a poultry farmer in Kamuli producing 200 trays of eggs daily and earning Shs 20 million per day, with 300 employees and George Matongo, a dairy farmer from Ngoma, Nakaseke, producing over 900 litres of milk daily and earning Shs 21 million per month, despite living far from tarmac roads or electricity.

Ibanda’s Political Landscape

Ibanda has historically been an NRM stronghold. In the 2021 Presidential Elections: Out of 140,486 registered voters, 90,801 (64.6%) voted. President Museveni won 77,521 votes (87.3%). For 2026, the district has 153,810 registered voters, an increase of 13,324. Polling stations have grown from 280 to 410.

Saturday’s rally attracted top NRM leaders, including: Rt. Hon. Anita Annet Among, Speaker of Parliament and Second National Vice Chairperson (Female), Eng. Asiimwe Jonard, NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Uganda, and District leaders and senior party officials.