The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has described the controversial coffee agreement between the Ministry of Finance and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited as illegal and called for its review before Ugandans are bound by it.
The remarks were made by Pheona Wall, the Law Society President while appearing before Parliamentary Committee on Trade that is investigating the coffee deal that was awarded to Italian investor Enrica Pinetti.
She cites some exemptions in the agreement that are directly in contravention of the law, especially the clause that stipulates that where infrastructure is going to be removed, government will incur the cost, saying this provision is a direct contravention with the laws like the Water Act where anybody who is going to move a water installation has to do it at their own expense.
Wall also expresses shock at the absence of termination and liability clauses within the agreement, warning that if it is maintained as it is, there is nothing that could stop Pinetti from mortgaging the land and running away with the money.
This comes a day after two lawyers petitioned the High Court in Kampala challenging the deal, calling it illegal and unfair.
The said deal has since drawn a lot of fierce reaction from various stakeholders, prompting government to consider the possibility of reviewing some of the contentious clauses.