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KAMPALA - National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag-bearers have accused Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director Dorothy Kisaka of failing to work on key issues affecting city residents who would be helping the party to get massive support in the metropolitan.

This, they say, has made the electorate shun voting for the ruling NRM party and opt for the Opposition. The flag-bearers quote the 2021 general election where NRM got dismal support.

Kampala NRM flag-bearers, who attended a retreat organised by the NRM vice-chairperson Moses Kigongo at Maya Nature Resort in Wakiso district on Saturday, said the Opposition has been exposing such issues to voters in the city without KCCA coming out to provide solutions for a long time.

They argued that it is the reason the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party had controlled city politics for the last 15 years before the largest Opposition party in Parliament, the National Unity Platform (NUP) swept NRM stronghold areas in a political wave where majority NRM flag-bearers lost their seats.

Critical areas that need to be addressed

The retreat centered on critical areas that should be addressed if the NRM is to recapture Kampala in 2026 with priorities put on road works, market restructuring and environment restoration.

Harunah Bwanika, representing Nakasero IV village in Kampala central division said old market vendors at Nakasero Market have lost their stalls to new entrants on account of the KCCA administration.

“When KCCA enforcement and market masters ask for between shillings four and five million and you fail, they replace you with a new entrant who buys your old stall cheaply without compensating you. This scenario of corruption in government markets initiated by the City Hall administration is making us fail to convince the ordinary Ugandans, especially the newly relocated hawkers in all the 16 markets,” Bwanika said.

Sylivia Kiiza, the area councillor Nakasero I, Central division, faulted Kisaka for failing to work on installation of street lights along Nile Avenue Road, Clement Hill Road, Yusuf Lule Road and Shimoni Road.

“It has been hard to combat crime in such areas which have become black spots for thugs during evening hours when the sun has retired,” she said.

Kisenyi II chairperson, Sunday Nkoyoyo said NRM must first show willingness to work on Sir Apollo Kagwa Road, Kamwokya-Kyebando Road and Musajjalumbwa Road before this elective term ends for them to recapture Kampala.

“The issue of patching potholes in this city has made NRM struggle a lot yet it is the work of KCCA to address such challenges on behalf of the Government. If there is no clear commitment by Kisaka to address this, coming back in 2026 shall be a big challenge for us to explain,” he suggested.

Kinabinabi Nabisere, the Kisenyi I Parish Development Model (PDM) focal person at central division, said they should use the available resources to consider PDM as the only program to empower the urban poor.

“Those who received PDM first cohort should be followed up such that other people come to benefit from it in a revolving manner because many supporters were left out complaining,” she revealed.

KCCA front-line workers should be paid

"With the formation of Seven Hills Company to help in cleaning of the city, many old guards were left out and they were the backbone of NRM structure in the city. It is a pity that front-line workers at City Hall have spent more than four months without pay yet KCCA collects taxes every day," Kamwokya councilor Stephen Muhire said. 

"With the coming of Kisaka and restructuring of front-line workers, a lot of poor people were left out and I personally contacted her on the matter but she seemed not to help out,” Muhire added.

Kisaka responds

When all these accusations fell into Kisaka’s ears, she stormed out of the retreat throwing the discussion into chaos.

“You have accused me of very many things but I had not come here for such accusations because as you know, I am not a politician. I just came here to greet you because it is KCCA Minister Minsa Kabanda who invited me here,” a furious Kisaka said as she left the retreat.

Kigongo calms down leaders

What dominated the retreat was the NRM internal wrangling between Central Division Mayor Salim Uhuru and Deputy Mayor Hanifah Mbungu who was sacked from her position.

“It was wrong for Uhuru to have replaced Mpungu with Moreen Tumusiime before the NRM retreat for Kampala leaders was convened to iron out party differences internally,” Kabanda said.

We are organising a tribunal to establish the case of Uhuru against Mpungu before internal differences break us down in pieces before mobilisation for 2026 starts.

“We need to create peace among ourselves internally in the party. What has killed unity among NRM leaders in Kampala is intrigue and unforgiveness within us as leaders,” Kigongo said, challenging them to reform.

We need to start a new chapter before intrigue and internal fights derail us from the original focus of securing President Yoweri Museveni's victory in Kampala come 2026.
Minister Kabanda says to Kisaka

Kabanda decried how Kisaka was attacked to leave the meeting.

“This retreat was aimed at looking for the way forward on how we can organise for the next 2026 election campaigns to capture Kampala from NUP and FDC,” she said.
I am the one who invited Kisaka but it is the finance ministry that is at fault for failing to pay KCCA workers, especially front-line workers who have missed pay for the last three years," she added.

“I am sorry for the humiliation extended to Kisaka by the NRM leaders but we all need to apologize for what transpired here,” Kabanda apologized.