Statement by Neumann Gruppe GmbH
Hamburg, 4 April 2012 – As leading green coffee service group Neumann Kaffee Gruppe (NKG) has been running its own farming activities in different tropical countries, amongst them Uganda. In doing so, the coffee farm Kaweri Coffee Plantation Ltd. (Kaweri) – like all farms of the group – is committed to the principles of sustainability and follows its economic interests while keeping a close eye on social and ecological aspects. The local community benefits from additional jobs and an improved infrastructure. Access to medical care, electricity and schooling further improve the quality of life in the area. Moreover, Kaweri has passed water lines to two neighboring villages and provides the population with free drinking water.
The land on which Kaweri operates is registered in the name of the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and leased out to Kaweri for 99 years. Kaweri is not only cultivating coffee in a sustainable fashion on this area of land, but also actively preserves the local diversity through protected areas, biological corridors and shade trees.
The entire leased land is registered with 2,512 hectares in the title register since 1964 as private Mailo land with the description block 99. For years, FIAN has alleged that Kaweri has not only acquired these 2,512 hectares, but has illegally occupied 518 hectares of the neighboring land block 103.
This accusation is unfounded.
There have been several surveys on block 99 that clearly define and confirm the size and borders. In addition, the rightful owner of block 103, David Ssekande, recently confirmed at a public hearing in Mubende that he owns the unrestricted land title for block 103. He also confirmed that the land of the bordering block 99 used by Kaweri is at no point disputable with his own land and that there is no reason for any change of borders.
Anna Nandyose in whose name apparently a new survey shall be made asserts her rights on block 103. For this survey she will have to refer to the owner of block 103. A survey or access to block 99 will not be necessary for the survey of block 103.
Neumann Gruppe and Kaweri have made no preparations whatsoever to prevent a survey of block 103. Nevertheless land surveys always require the permission of the land owner. Block 99 is registered in the name of the Ugandan Investment Authority and block 103 is registered in the name of David Ssekande, it is those owners from whom hence such permission would have to be sought.
It further seems that remarkably the plaintiffs themselves are not interested in a timely solution of the proceedings, but are trying to delay these. Neumann Gruppe GmbH is clearly interested in a speedy legal clarification of these facts.
NKG Corporate Communications