By Angela Batuli, Kyerwa
Kyerwa District Commissioner Zaitun Msofe has called on councillors in Kyerwa District Council to strengthen efforts to curb coffee smuggling and other revenue leakages, warning that such practices undermine the economic development of both the district and the country at large.
Msofe made the call yesterday while addressing a meeting of the Kyerwa District Council, which discussed the implementation of activities during the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year.
She said Kyerwa is currently in the coffee trading season, with coffee serving as a major source of livelihood for residents and an important source of revenue for the district council. She therefore urged councillors to closely monitor business activities in their respective wards and ensure that traders fulfil their obligation to pay government levies.
“We are in the middle of the coffee trading season, which we depend on heavily for revenue collection in Kyerwa. Coffee is the major crop we rely on here, so I remind councillors that there are some people engaged in this business who evade paying government levies by smuggling coffee and selling it to our neighbours,” Msofe said.
The District Commissioner further said she had received reports that some farmers were collecting coffee and, instead of delivering it to Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies (AMCOS), were selling it to private buyers who operate weighing scales from their homes, contrary to established procedures.
“I would like us to work together to ensure that we do not undermine these AMCOS until they lack coffee and eventually collapse. We must also ensure that we do not destroy the auction system,” she said.
Msofe explained that some AMCOS operating in border areas had been allowed to purchase coffee using cash payments under special circumstances. However, she stressed that the arrangement should not be abused by all traders, as doing so could weaken the auction system.
“Before the auction system, prices were low and coffee had little value. If we allow everyone to buy using cash, we will kill the auction system. Once the auction system collapses, the next thing will be to destroy the price of coffee because everyone with money will buy it at whatever price they want,” she said.
In another development, Msofe urged councillors to closely monitor various development projects being implemented by communities in their respective areas, saying some projects had encountered challenges during implementation.
She said the funds being used for the projects were public money and therefore it was important to ensure that the projects were implemented in accordance with value-for-money principles and delivered the intended benefits to citizens.
Speaking during the meeting, Kyerwa District Council Chairperson Bahati Henerico said the council had exceeded its revenue collection target for the 2025/2026 financial year.
He said the council had collected and received Sh51.1 billion, equivalent to 108 per cent of its target of Sh47.1 billion. The funds were used to implement various activities, including development projects, up to June 2026.
Henerico said the council’s own-source revenue had reached Sh7.9 billion, equivalent to 101 per cent of the target of Sh7.7 billion. He attributed the achievement to various measures taken by the council to strengthen revenue collection and ensure that all revenue sources contributed appropriately.
Kyerwa District Executive Director Jemsi John thanked President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for continuing to provide funds for the implementation of various development projects benefiting local communities.
He also urged councillors to continue cooperating with the council leadership in order to achieve the goal of providing citizens with quality and essential public services.
Meanwhile, some farmers and residents in Kyerwa have called on the government to put in place a strategy to ensure that farmers are paid promptly after delivering their coffee to AMCOS.
They said farmers should not be forced to wait for long periods to receive payment while facing various financial challenges that require immediate access to cash.
Rachel Mukama, a Kyerwa resident, said providing farmers and the public with education on the negative effects of coffee smuggling was essential. She also called for improved coffee prices to encourage farmers to sell their produce through the formal marketing system.
