2 minute read
Longest serving staff reflect about UCDA@30
Doreen Rweihangwe - Ag. Quality and Regulatory Services Director
I joined UCDA 30 years ago as a young graduate with no experience in the coffee world. I was lucky to join the then Uganda Coffee Marketing Board (UCMB), the presentday UCDA to gain experience on the job.
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At the time, the Directorate of Quality and Regulatory Services was a department with only five people and was headed by Henry Ngabirano. Under Ngabirano’s supervision, I gained a lot of experience and knowledge.
When the UCMB turned into UCDA, the Quality Assurance Department, which was at Amber House, was moved to Jinja Road, the current UCDA headquarters. This is where the first quality assurance and testing lab was established, before shifting to Lugogo house in the year 2000.
Achievements
In 2005, I got the privilege to be trained in coffee cupping, by the International Specialty Movement, especially, in advanced cupping and thereafter registered us as Arabica cuppers by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI) of the USA.
I am one of the members who fronted for the development of standards for Robusta coffee because Arabica coffee standards were already in place.
Memorable event
We used to transport coffee by rail, in foodgrade containers, to Mombasa and Dar-esSalaam ports for export, which was against the law. I also recall that most of the activities in the laboratory were manual, which limited communication.
Peter Masai - Driver
I came to Kampala a few years ago in search of a job. Although there were many opportunities, my interest was to become a driver in a company or organisation. I embarked on a job hunt until one time, a friend informed me of a coffee organisation that was looking for a driver, after inquiring, I walked to UCDA offices on Jinja road.
I found a lady at the front desk, explained myself, she called another man, I again explained myself, to cut the long story short, I was considered for the job later. As a driver at UCDA, my first task was to drive the Board Secretary, starting with Amb. William Naggaga, later Fred Luzinda, each for 10 years, and recently was taken back to the pool.
While working at UCDA, I have been able to marry and have children. Three have completed University education, one is a finalist and the last-born is in Senior Five this year.
While at UCDA, I have been able to acquire a piece of land in Kampala, where I live with my family, and also managed to acquire two acres for coffee growing back home in Mbale district. In line with coffee farming, I have also learnt to establish and manage a coffee nursery, that is how I have been able to plant two acres of coffee in Mbale.
And now that I am approaching retirement, I am so grateful because, through them, I have been able to reorganise my life. When I retire, which is soon, will happily turn to my farm and also become an active coffee farmer, having worked in a coffee organisation for all these years.
