MP Daudi Kabanda
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Kasambya County Member of Parliament David Kabanda has intensified his criticism of businessman Odrek Rwabwogo and Nelson Tugume, accusing the pair of mismanaging and embezzling more than Shs75 billion that had been allocated to promote Uganda’s coffee industry.
Kabanda, who identifies himself as Executive Secretary in the Office of the National Chairman PLU and Member of Parliament for Kasambya County, Mubende District, made the allegations in a series of strongly worded public statements on social media channel X, in which he called for accountability over the expenditure of public funds.
Kabanda alleged that billions of shillings intended to support coffee promotion initiatives were improperly used. According to him, “Billions of Ugandan shillings were stolen by Nelson Tugume and Rwabwogo. They falsely claimed they would hire ‘expatriates’ to teach Ugandans how to drink coffee. This is a blatant disrespect for taxpayers’ money.”
He further questioned the rationale behind the expenditure, saying, “Can you imagine that Shs75 billion was allocated to Rwabwogo and his clique to teach Ugandans how to drink coffee?”
Kabanda’s remarks come amid scrutiny of government-funded coffee promotion initiatives. According to the Auditor General’s physical inspections, the planned coffee shops and booths that were intended to increase local coffee consumption in regional cities including Arua, Mbale, Lira and Tororo were largely non-existent or non-operational.
The findings have fueled debate over whether the project delivered value for money and whether public funds were used for their intended purpose.
Despite acknowledging the sensitivity surrounding criticism of members of President Yoweri Museveni’s family, Kabanda argued that public officials and individuals entrusted with public resources should be held accountable.
“I know the President does not want public discussion about members of his family,” Kabanda said. “But we must be allowed to speak about those whose actions tarnish the name of the President and the NRM. Rwabwogo himself encouraged us to speak out. So let us speak.”
Kabanda also claimed that he had received information indicating that Rwabwogo had complained to President Museveni about his public criticism.
“I have reliably been informed that Rwabwogo went to the President with a number of my tweets about him and asked him to restrain me from speaking about him or condemn me publicly by referring to me as a crook so that I can maybe lose credibility in society and in my constituency,” Kabanda alleged.
He added, “What the President needs to tell Rwabwogo is to stop being corrupt and a land grabber.”
The legislator insisted he would not be intimidated into abandoning his criticism.
“When Milton Obote referred to President Museveni as a bandit and swine, it actually didn’t mean he was and it never stopped him from chasing his mission. What can actually stop me from talking about the thieves like him is death, nothing else,” Kabanda said.
Kabanda also defended his own political record, contrasting it with what he alleged was Rwabwogo’s conduct.
“Kabanda, whom he wants to refer to as a crook, actually got for NRM 71% in Mubende with zero budget from NRM,” he said. “Rwabwogo instead defrauded NRM supporters in the districts of Kiruhura and Kazo. Now between Kabanda and Rwabwogo who is a crook?”
Efforts by Habari Daily to obtain a response from Rwabwogo and Tugume were futile, as their known telephone numbers were not being picked.
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