By Our Reporter
Masindi: The simmering feud in Uganda’s sugar industry has deepened after Mr. Mohamudh Kazimbiraine, Chairman of the Bunyoro Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Union, accused Kinyara Sugar Limited of orchestrating a smear campaign and engaging in unethical practices to undermine competitors and suppress independent farmers.
In an exclusive interview, Kazimbiraine, who heads the Bunyoro Sugar Farmers’ Union that manages a chain of public weighbridges in the region, alleged that Kinyara had “lost integrity” and was using underhand methods to eliminate competition from Victoria Sugar Limited, a rival miller that has been purchasing cane from farmers in Masindi, Hoima, and Kiryandongo Districts.
The 2 a.m. Sugar Cane Mystery
Kazimbiraine narrated a controversial incident in which a truck allegedly belonging to Kinyara offloaded sugarcane at the Union’s weighbridge at 2:00 a.m., without authorization or documentation.
“The lorry came at odd hours, around 2am night, tipped off sugarcane on the ground, and drove away before anyone could receive or weigh it,” he said. “By 5:00 a.m., Kinyara’s agricultural manager was already reporting to police that their cane had been stolen — which was suspicious because nobody had even processed it.”
According to the chairman, police later arrested a turn-boy from the truck, while the driver, reportedly attached to Kinyara,who dropped off the cane remained unaccounted for. “We’ve asked Kinyara to produce that driver, but they’ve refused,” he said.
The ongoing dispute, Kazimbiraine explained, stems from Kinyara’s insistence on zoning, a system that restricts sugarcane farmers from selling to millers outside designated areas.
“Kinyara wants a monopoly,” he said. “They believe all sugarcane in Bunyoro belongs to them, even when it grows on private land. They want to dictate who buys, when to harvest, and how much to pay — but this is a free economy.”
He added that Victoria Sugar’s entry into Masindi around 2022 brought competition that benefited farmers, offering UGX 100,000 per ton compared to Kinyara’s UGX 80,000, and paying instantly or within a day — unlike Kinyara’s 60–90 day payment delays.
“Victoria pays farmers promptly and transparently. That’s why Kinyara sees them as a threat,” Kazimbiraine said.
Battle Over Weighbridges
Kinyara has reportedly accused the Bunyoro Sugarcane Farmers’ Cooperative Union of using its weighbridges for illegal operations, an allegation Kazimbiraine strongly denied.
“Our weighbridges are commercial and open to all traders, not just for sugarcane, but even traders of other produce like maize, beans, casava, timber etc, use them.They are calibrated and licensed by UNBS,” he clarified.
He accused Kinyara of mobilizing government officials to close the weighbridges under false claims. However, he cited directives from former Internal Affairs Minister Gen. Kahinda Otafiire and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja stopping police from interfering in private business operations.
Kazimbiraine said that Kinyara’s “monopolistic tendencies” have pushed farmers to organize themselves under co-operatives and form partnerships with new millers.
“We’ve built seven co-operative societies, registered legally under the Ministry of Trade, and signed an MoU with Victoria Sugar to supply cane,” he explained. “Farmers should be free to sell to whoever offers better prices.”
He concluded by urging government to protect small holder cane growers from corporate exploitation.
“Uganda is a free market economy. Farmers deserve the freedom to choose where to sell their cane,” he emphasized. “Kinyara should compete fairly, not through intimidation or manipulation.”
The sugar sector in Uganda has long been marked by tension between large millers and independent outgrowers. The debate over zoning, which seeks to allocate exclusive cane-buying zones to millers, has been rejected twice by Parliament, in 2020 and 2022, as discriminatory and anti-competitive.
Farmers’ unions across Bunyoro continue to call for open-market policies, fair pricing, and faster payment systems to protect livelihoods in the sugar belt.
Our independent investigations show that the driver who dumped the cane at weighbridge and drove off at breakneck speed is actually a staff of Kinyara Sugar,who claim their sugarcane was being stolen by Victoria Sugar Ltd. This, according to independent investigations explains why the driver is “currently on the run” and being ‘pursued’ by police investigating officers. “The driver who was driving the a Tipper Lorry Number UBA 886R is a Kinyara driver, the loader in custody is their worker, it’s their driver who dumped the cane at the weigh bridge,now how does one say, Victoria Sugar Ltd was stealing? What’s the connection? Why are they hiding their driver? Kazimbiraine wondered.
Police Speaks Out
Police spokesperson to the Albertine Region SP Hakiza Julius confirmed; “It’s true a thefty case was reported by Kinyara Sugar Ltd in Masindi. The cane allegedly stolen was worth shs 3,720,000/-. The exhibit was recovered and handed over back to Kinyara,but one suspect,a one Okello Kenneth was arrested to help in investigations. The driver is still at large”.
Our attempts to get Kinyara Sugar’s comment on the same proved futile after the company’s PRO said he was at a function and promised to get back when he leaves the the same, however our repeated attempts again proved futile. “I’m still at a function send me a message I will reply,he said”.
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