Richard Rugaya Appointed Uganda Coffee Roasters Association Executive Director

What the report says

The Uganda Coffee Roasters Association (UCRA) has named Richard Rugaya, who is linked to Gorilla Highlands Coffee, as its incoming executive director, according to a communication from the association’s board reported by Nile Post. His appointment is intended to support a more commercial approach for the group, with a focus on helping coffee roasters grow their businesses and see direct value from membership.

Nile Post reported that Rugaya’s proposed 2027–2030 strategy puts domestic coffee consumption, new export markets and access to financing at the centre of his agenda. The brief outlines a goal of mobilising between Shs1 billion and Shs5 billion for association members, while also seeking to improve market access and partnerships that can help roasters compete more effectively.

The article says Rugaya has also prepared a 356-day roadmap built around diagnosis, mobilisation and delivery, with performance to be judged on revenue generation, partnership building and access to markets. UCRA plans to work more closely with institutions such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, standards bodies, trade and export agencies, and financial institutions.

The appointment comes as Uganda continues to look for ways to earn more from coffee through value addition, rather than relying only on exports of raw beans. In that context, the association’s strategy reflects broader efforts to strengthen local processing, branding and commercial opportunities for the roasting sector.