Gen (Rtd) Salim Saleh has dismissed claims that Uganda’s coffee was stolen, insisting that the crop is back as he urged Ugandans to support a new initiative aimed at developing the coffee sector.
Saleh made the remarks on October 13, 2026, during the launch of the Uganda Coffee Group at Kapeeka Industrial Park in Nakaseke District.
He was responding to lyrics by singer King Saha, whose song laments the loss of coffee and other agricultural resources.
In the song, King Saha sings, “Wano akamwanyi kaaliwo,” meaning “Here there used to be coffee.” He also sings, “Wano akamwanyi kaaliwo nga tumanyi okukalima,” translated as “Here there used to be coffee, which we knew how to grow.”
The song questions what happened to resources such as coffee, vanilla, cotton and moringa, reflecting concerns about livelihoods and the country’s agricultural sector.
Saleh rejected the suggestion that coffee had been stolen, describing the claim as a lie and maintaining that the crop had returned.
He used the launch to call on Ugandans to join the Uganda Coffee Group, a private sector-led initiative intended to mobilise capital, coordinate investment and promote commercial production and value addition across the coffee value chain.
The group aims to bring together stakeholders to expand investment and strengthen Uganda’s coffee industry.
Saleh, who serves as Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, has been associated with agricultural and industrial development initiatives, including projects at Kapeeka.
Coffee remains one of Uganda’s major export commodities. However, questions about farmers’ earnings, the role of middlemen and the need for increased local processing continue to shape debate over how the country can gain more from its coffee.
 Salim Saleh has dismissed claims that Uganda’s coffee was stolen, insisting that the crop is back as he urged Ugandans to support a new initiative aimed at developing the coffee sector.){kind=link}