Municipal mayors support Kampala Metropolitan plan

Municipality Mayors from Wakiso and Mukono have expressed support for the proposed Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) strategy.

In their meeting held in Kira on Friday, the mayors of Entebbe, Kira, Mukono, Nansana and Makindye Ssabagabo resolved to rally behind government in implementing the plan.

Julius Mutebi, the Mayor of Kira later told New Vision in an interview that they found GKMA to be a great idea for their people. He said even developed countries like UK are organized in the similar way as in GKMA.

However, the mayors made several demands from government to implement the plan.

The mayors asked government to ensure that election of the Lord Mayor is by adult suffrage. They also asked for effective representation of Municipalities and local governments at the Metropolitan Authority.
 
The resolutions are contained in a statement signed by the chairperson of Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU), Haji Majid Batambuze.

The statement is addressed to the Minister of Local Government and copied to 14 other offices and individuals including the minister for Kampala, Beti Kamya and the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago. 

Government says GKMA is its effort towards job creation, improved livability and sustainable development of Kampala, Mukono, Wakiso and Mpigi districts.

But GKMA has received sharp resistance from a cross section of leaders especially in the central region who allege that it may contain sinister motives.

Mukono Municipality MP, Betty Nambooze Bakireke says it is a plot to illegally annex parts of greater Kampala into an authority that will operate indecently under the minister of Kampala.

Nambooze said she wrote to the Speaker of Parliament to stay the discussion on the matter which was brought under the KCCA amendment bill 2015.