URN.Last year, the district council passed a Vanilla Ordinance that was aimed at regulating the growing and buying of the cash crop. However, it couldn’t take effect before being gazetted.
Vanilla farmers in Rubirizi District want the government to expeditiously gazette the Vanilla Ordinance. They argue that the delay by the government to gazette the ordinance is holding back their efforts in mitigating vanilla theft in the area.
Last year, the district council passed a Vanilla Ordinance that was aimed at regulating the growing and buying of the cash crop. However, it couldn’t take effect before being gazetted.
Isaiah Mulamuzi Rugambwa, Chairperson of Vanilla Farmers Rubirizi district, says there is a need to find a solution to the increasing theft in the district. He explains that as harvest nears traders are secretly opening stores to buy stolen vanilla at 8,000 shillings per kilogram.
He says the traders mobilize young men to steal and attack farmers who are guarding their gardens.
He says that despite the district formulating an ordinance the government should come up with a law to protect vanilla farming in Uganda. He says thieves have been left to walk scot-free.
James Kabagambe, a Vanilla Farmer in Katerera Sub County says the delay to have the district vanilla ordinance has escalated vanilla theft and caused insecurity. He wants the Sub County and the Village chairpersons to mobilize and formulate a by-law to help fight vanilla theft.
David Agaba, says that he lost his vanilla and the suspects are still at large. He wants the government to gazette the ordinance so that the law comes into effect.
Didas Barigye, Rubirizi District Agriculture Officer, asked the farmers to be patient since the ordinance has been finalized by the Solicitor General and awaits to be gazetted.
