TAKEAWAYS

• Saleh said King Saha was wrong to claim in his song that Uganda’s coffee had been stolen.
• The General asked the DJ to play the song, drawing applause and smiles from the audience.
• The Uganda Coffee Group aims to attract investment and promote value addition across the coffee value chain.

General (Rtd) Salim Saleh has taken a humorous swipe at musician King Saha over his song Akamwanyi, insisting that Uganda’s coffee industry has recovered.

Saleh made the remarks on Tuesday during the launch of the Uganda Coffee Group at Kapeeka Industrial Park, where coffee industry stakeholders gathered to discuss the sector’s growth and commercialisation.

Speaking at the event, Saleh, who is related to Saha through his daughter Rachel Kente, jokingly accused the singer of giving a misleading account of Uganda’s coffee industry in the song.

“King Saha lied in the Akamwanyi song when he said their coffee was stolen. I want to assure him today that the coffee is back,” Saleh said.

He also asked the DJ to play the song, leaving the audience clapping and smiling as the music filled the venue.

Saleh urged Ugandans to support the newly launched Uganda Coffee Group, a private sector-led initiative aimed at mobilising investment, coordinating stakeholders and promoting value addition across the country’s coffee value chain.

The group is expected to strengthen participation in the coffee industry while encouraging commercialisation and strategic investment to increase the value of Uganda’s coffee.

Saha, whose real name is Mansur Semanda, has previously used his music to comment on social and political issues. His song Akamwanyi touches on concerns surrounding coffee farmers and the handling of Uganda’s coffee sector.

Saleh’s remarks added a light moment to the launch, turning the song into a talking point as stakeholders considered the future of the country’s coffee industry.

Uganda is seeking to grow the sector’s contribution to the economy by increasing production, expanding processing and earning more from coffee exports.