Lukwago defies Musisi over deputy mayor

Dec 13, 2011

The Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago has installed his deputy, Suleiman Kidandala, defying a directive from the city executive director, Jennifer Musisi to halt the ceremony.

By Taddeo Bwambale and Brian Mayanja

The Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago has installed his deputy, Suleiman Kidandala, defying a directive by  the city executive director, Jennifer Musisi to halt the ceremony.

Kidandala was sworn-in and installed as deputy Lord mayor on Tuesday, at a ceremony held at the Mayor’s Parlour in Kampala.

Musisi, in her letter dated December 12, 2011 had asked Lukwago to stay the ceremony saying it was unlawful.

“In the exercise of my functions under section 19(g) of the Kampala Capital City Act 2010 as advisor of the authority on technical, administrative and legal matters pertaining to the management of the authority, I would like to advise you that your intended actions are unlawful,” the letter partly reads.

“It is our considered opinion that you stay any swearing-in ceremony until a duly conducted appointment and approval of a deputy lord mayor is conducted,” the letter says.

Musisi argued that although Kidandala was appointed, he was not duly approved by the authority, in accordance with the law. 

Musisi’s letter followed a petition by a group of councilors seeking her advice on whether to recognise the ceremony. In the letter signed by one of the authority councilors, Madina Nsereko, they demanded that the ceremony be stayed, citing irregularities in the manner in which Kidandala was appointed at the KCCA’s special council meeting on October 19.

The turn up for the swearing ceremony which started at 10:30am, was generally low, as police blocked the public from accessing the venue.

They also deployed heavily inside and around the KCCA headquarters. Journalists were initially blocked from accessing the venue by police, KCCA law enforcement officers and private security guards. 

Of the 30 KCCA councilors, only five attended the swearing-in ceremony. 

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