Coffee processors and traders in Mitooma District are sounding the alarm over deteriorating road infrastructure, which they say is crippling coffee transportation and threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of farmers in the region.
Stakeholders say the poor state of access roads has left many stores stocked with unsold coffee, as transporters refuse to risk getting stuck in muddy, impassable sections leading to processing facilities and storage points.
The crisis is particularly dire at Rubanga Coffee Cooperative, which runs a major processing factory and serves as the central collection point for coffee produced in Kabiira Sub-county.
“We have had this challenge for over three years, and it has slowed our business and operations. For example, today we have a trailer grounded here simply because of the road,” said James Muhangi, General Manager of Rubanga Coffee Cooperative.
Though the cooperative is located just 11 kilometers from Mitooma Town—where the tarmac ends—the deteriorated state of the murram road has made it nearly impossible for heavy trucks to reach the factory. Transporters are increasingly reluctant to make the trip, citing the high risk of vehicle damage and delays.
Muhangi says the cost implications are staggering.
“To deliver a single 3-ton truck of coffee to Mitooma town, we spend about shs450,000 on loading, offloading, and fuel. To fill a 30-ton container, we have to make ten such trips, costing us shs4.5 million for just 11 kilometers. Meanwhile, a truck delivering the same amount of coffee to Kampala costs shs3.8 million. This means we are spending more on a short rural route than a full trip to the capital,” he explained.
He further lamented that these costs are ultimately passed on to the farmers, who are already struggling with low farm-gate prices.
At the factory, one truck remains grounded after breaking down on the treacherous road. The driver, Moses Kabaale, said he suffered significant mechanical damage, including broken bearings, as he attempted to reach the factory.
“This road is completely in a very poor state. I didn’t budget for these repairs, and now I can’t load the coffee,” he said.
The road in question is a central government road, connecting the districts of Sheema, Mitooma, and Rukungiri.
Despite repeated assurances and visits by government officials, locals say no meaningful work has been done to rehabilitate the route.
“We are now calling upon the government to come and rescue us. We, together with the farmers, are making uncountable losses,” Muhangi appealed.
The road’s continued neglect threatens not only local businesses but also Uganda’s broader coffee value chain—an industry that contributes significantly to the country’s export earnings.