The President announced the plan during his New Year's address, citing a report from the National Defense College, Njeru, which highlighted the growing issue of premature coffee theft.
President Museveni's proposal to deploy Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers to protect coffee farms against theft has sparked criticism from coffee farmers, political leaders, and security analysts.
The President announced the plan during his New Year's address, citing a report from the National Defense College, Njeru, which highlighted the growing issue of premature coffee theft.
Fred Busuulwa, a coffee farmer in Masaka District, expressed doubts about the practicality and sustainability of the initiative.
He voiced concerns that it might create dependency on military protection for agricultural activities and speculated it could be a ploy to secure additional funding for the military.
"Maybe someone is trying to trick the president into increasing the army budget. This could be motivated by selfish reasons," Busuulwa remarked.
Coffee has been spilling hot and cold across socio-political and economic spectrums, with a sharp rise in theft of berries in farms in reported in the recent months.
There have been incidents where farmers have taken the matter into own hands and served "justice" on the spot to suspected thieves.
Mr Museveni has over the years turned to rely almost entirely on UPDF, from security to fixing potholes and even fisheries. His tinkering with coffee will not surprise many but it also has left many pushing back.
Security analyst Fred Egesa dismissed the proposal as "irrational" and warned it could lead to increased insecurity. "Idle soldiers on farms may themselves become candidates for theft," he cautioned.
Egesa also linked Museveni's inclination toward military solutions to his personal history, noting the president's lifelong association with the army.
He referenced Museveni's formative experiences in the military and his involvement in past conflicts, as well as the historical context of his name, believed to have been inspired by World War II soldiers, known locally as Baseveni.
"All his life, he has been obsessed with the army and fighting. It's a lifetime obsession that seems to grow every day," Egesa observed.
Kalungu West MP Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu echoed these concerns, arguing that the plan is unsustainable.
He suggested that the proposal might be an attempt to keep the military engaged and neutralise potential threats to Museveni's leadership.
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"If every cash crop requires protection, where will the manpower come from? This model is unsustainable," Ssewungu said.
The president's proposal comes shortly after he signed the National Coffee Amendment Act 2024 into law, a move aimed at bolstering Uganda's coffee industry.
It also follows his earlier sub-county policing model directive, which has faced implementation challenges.
Critics argue that while Museveni's intent is to protect coffee farmers, long-term strategies such as strengthening community policing and addressing systemic inefficiencies would provide more effective and sustainable solutions.
