Bunyoro region sugarcane farmers have welcomed the intervention of Internal Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire, who has overturned a recent ban on private weighbridges.
The weighbridges, used by farmers to sell their sugarcane at fair prices, were banned last week by the Trade Minister, citing concerns about fueling sugarcane theft. However, Otafiire, in a letter dated February 25, 2025, addressed to the Inspector General of Police, asserted that the Trade Minister’s directive could not supersede a High Court ruling that authorized their operation.
Hajj Muhamud Kazimbiraine, Chairman of the Masindi Sugarcane Growers Cooperative Union, urged farmers, including those outside Masindi, to utilize the reinstated weighbridges. He accused Kinyara Sugar Ltd. of influencing the initial ban to maintain a purchasing monopoly. Kinyara Sugar Ltd. has not yet responded to these allegations.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives had previously deferred a decision on banning the weighbridges to allow for broader stakeholder consultations. However, sugar manufacturers have long expressed concerns about their presence, particularly in Bunyoro.
Farmers’ representatives have widely praised Otafiire’s directive, which comes weeks after the initial ban halted sugarcane operations in the region. Two weighbridges are located in Masindi town and Rukondwa, Bikonzi Sub-County.
Farmers who were left with cut sugarcane in their fields expressed relief, highlighting the potential for significant revenue loss had the ban remained. “We thank the Internal Affairs Minister for intervening. As farmers, we should not suffer due to exploitation by sugarcane factories. We urge the President to intervene in this matter,” said one farmer.