Four weighbridges previously operating in Bunyoro’s sugarcane-growing areas have been returned to Victoria Sugar and relocated to the company’s factory in Luwero district, a move local leaders and community mobilizers say marks a significant step in the fight against rampant sugarcane theft.
The weighbridges were handed over on Friday by Masindi district police commander Pensive Tukasiima following directives from Uganda Police headquarters ordering their return to their rightful owner.
The development follows a recent memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Kinyara Sugar Limited and Victoria Sugar in Kampala under the guidance of Local Government minister-designate Balaam Barugahara.
Under the agreement, Victoria Sugar will continue purchasing cane from farmers who are not contracted to Kinyara Sugar, while Kinyara will maintain relationships with its contracted outgrowers. The two companies also agreed to end the use of roadside weighbridges that had increasingly become controversial within the sugar industry.
For years, leaders, farmers and millers complained that some roadside weighbridges had evolved into trading points for illegally harvested cane. Farmers frequently reported losing mature sugarcane to thieves who would harvest it at night and quickly dispose of it through informal trading networks.
The problem became so widespread that local leaders in Masindi, Kikuube and Hoima repeatedly raised concerns about organized theft syndicates targeting sugarcane plantations across the region.
Francis Tumwine, a community mobilizer in Masindi district, welcomed the decision to relocate the weighbridges away from Bunyoro.
“The weighbridges have been returned to their rightful owner, but stakeholders have agreed that they should no longer be used in a manner that facilitates illegal cane trade and theft,” Tumwine said.
“What farmers and leaders want is an organized sugar industry where genuine growers benefit from their sweat and criminals have no market for stolen cane. The agreement between Kinyara and Victoria Sugar is a positive step in that direction.”
Tumwine said taking the weighbridges to Victoria Sugar’s factory in Luwero effectively closes a chapter that had generated tension among farmers, millers and local leaders.
Several farmers interviewed by this publication also welcomed the new arrangement. Peter Byaruhanga said cane theft had become a serious threat to livelihoods in the region.
“There were farmers who would spend more than a year nurturing their cane only to find sections of their gardens harvested by thieves. Anything that helps stop that problem is good for us,” Byaruhanga said.
Another farmer, Sarah Nakato, said the agreement between Kinyara and Victoria Sugar provides greater clarity for growers.
“Now farmers know the system. If you are contracted by Kinyara, your cane goes to Kinyara. If you are not contracted, Victoria Sugar can buy your cane. That removes a lot of confusion,” she said.
Local leaders say the new arrangement is expected to reduce disputes over cane ownership, improve coordination between millers and strengthen protection for farmers’ investments.
The return of the weighbridges and their relocation to Luwero comes at a time when Bunyoro’s sugar industry is seeking to balance the interests of investors and farmers while stamping out criminal activities that have undermined confidence in the sector.
For many growers across Masindi, Kikuube and Hoima districts, the latest developments signal a shift towards a more structured sugar market where legitimate farmers are protected and cane theft is increasingly difficult to sustain