Lukwago suspends KCCA committee meetings

By Taddeo Bwambale and Juliet Waisswa

The Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago has suspended all meetings of standing committees of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), citing alleged take-over of their work by the city executive director, Jennifer Musisi.

The Kampala Capital City Act, 2010 provides for the establishment of ten standing committees to oversee the work of the directorates and to periodically review their performance reports.

Addressing a press conference at the Mayors’ Parlour in Kampala on Wednesday, Lukwago accused Musisi of ‘hijacking’ their roles and frustrating their work.

“As Lord Mayor, I have decided to suspend all committee meetings indefinitely. All the work of the committees has been hijacked by the executive director, who wants to be seen as the only one performing in the authority,” Lukwago said.

Council meetings which are supposed to be held at least once every three months, will also not take place until next year, the last one having taken place in October.

Lukwago also queried the quality of works on roads in the city, five months after sh45.5b was allocated for roads in KCCA’s budget for this financial year.

“We want a comprehensive report on the work done on roads. We passed a big budget but the roads are in a poor state,” he said. He also challenged the sums of money allocated for road works, including the sh5b for reconstruction of the Sheraton round-about along Lumumba Avenue.

On talks to resolve the court case challenging the powers of Musisi in the management of the city, Lukwago accused her of being unwilling to resolve the matter amicably. He said the matter would be referred back to court.

“If no meaningful settlement is reached by the 16th of next month, we go back to court,” he said.

On November 14, the High Court gave both parties one month within which to settle their differences out of court, after  Lukwago over alleged interference with the activities that should be executed by him.