Kampala Lord Mayor threatens to resign
Sep 15, 2011
THE Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago has threatened to resign from his position, saying the Government has frustrated his efforts to streamline business in the city.
By Taddeo Bwambale and Brian Mayanja
THE Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago has threatened to resign his position, saying the Government has frustrated his efforts to streamline business in the city.
Speaking at the Special Council Meeting of the Authority yesterday, Lukwago said he was considering petitioning the constitutional court to seek clarification on his role as Lord Mayor, as provided for in the Kampala Capital City Authority Act, 2010.
“I am compelled to go to court to find out if I have no powers in the law. If court rules that I have no powers, I will pack and go home to the people who elected me,†he said.
Lukwago accused the government of deliberately refusing to recognise his powers in the management of the city. He cited a letter from the Resident City Commissioner, Alice Muwanguzi dated September 13, advising Council not to discuss the recent eviction of vendors from city streets without consulting the Kampala minister.
Last week, Lukwago and city councilors distanced themselves from the eviction exercise, saying they were neither involved nor informed about it. They asked the Kampala Executive Director to produce a written directive from the Kampala minister to the Authority, in accordance with public service standing regulations.
But Muwanguzi, in her letter to Lukwago, argued that the minister had general powers to give directives on policy and general development of the capital city, which the Authority must comply with.
“As the political head of the Authority, you are expected to guide the Authority to comply with the minister’s directive. Anything less than that is interpreted as defiance of Government by the Authority,†the letter partly reads.
Lukwago accused the minister in charge of Kampala, Kabakumba Masiko, for ignoring his numerous requests to meet political leaders in the Authority to resolve their grievances.
“The minister is here to serve everyone. Why should we turn into beggars? I am not going to kneel for anyone because we all have statutory obligations according to the law,†he said.
The councilors were divided on whether to stop debate on the matter. Some of them accused the central government of rendering them powerless while others proposed a meeting with the Kampala minister to resolve the matter.
“It appears that whatever we are doing here, we are just wasting time. Some of us came here to work but we seem to be heading for a crisis because they overlook our powers,†said Elijah Owobusingye, the councilor for Makindye East.
Lubaga Municipality Councilor, Godfrey Asiimwe proposed a meeting between the Kampala minister and political leaders to resolve the crisis.
The councilors gave one more week to the Executive Director to come up with a report on areas that can be temporarily gazetted for street vending in the city
THE Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago has threatened to resign his position, saying the Government has frustrated his efforts to streamline business in the city.
Speaking at the Special Council Meeting of the Authority yesterday, Lukwago said he was considering petitioning the constitutional court to seek clarification on his role as Lord Mayor, as provided for in the Kampala Capital City Authority Act, 2010.
“I am compelled to go to court to find out if I have no powers in the law. If court rules that I have no powers, I will pack and go home to the people who elected me,†he said.
Lukwago accused the government of deliberately refusing to recognise his powers in the management of the city. He cited a letter from the Resident City Commissioner, Alice Muwanguzi dated September 13, advising Council not to discuss the recent eviction of vendors from city streets without consulting the Kampala minister.
Last week, Lukwago and city councilors distanced themselves from the eviction exercise, saying they were neither involved nor informed about it. They asked the Kampala Executive Director to produce a written directive from the Kampala minister to the Authority, in accordance with public service standing regulations.
But Muwanguzi, in her letter to Lukwago, argued that the minister had general powers to give directives on policy and general development of the capital city, which the Authority must comply with.
“As the political head of the Authority, you are expected to guide the Authority to comply with the minister’s directive. Anything less than that is interpreted as defiance of Government by the Authority,†the letter partly reads.
Lukwago accused the minister in charge of Kampala, Kabakumba Masiko, for ignoring his numerous requests to meet political leaders in the Authority to resolve their grievances.
“The minister is here to serve everyone. Why should we turn into beggars? I am not going to kneel for anyone because we all have statutory obligations according to the law,†he said.
The councilors were divided on whether to stop debate on the matter. Some of them accused the central government of rendering them powerless while others proposed a meeting with the Kampala minister to resolve the matter.
“It appears that whatever we are doing here, we are just wasting time. Some of us came here to work but we seem to be heading for a crisis because they overlook our powers,†said Elijah Owobusingye, the councilor for Makindye East.
Lubaga Municipality Councilor, Godfrey Asiimwe proposed a meeting between the Kampala minister and political leaders to resolve the crisis.
The councilors gave one more week to the Executive Director to come up with a report on areas that can be temporarily gazetted for street vending in the city