Sh300m could have served KCC better
Jul 10, 2007
Kampala mayor Nasser Sebaggala has displayed his picture on the new garbage bins donated to Kampala City Council (KCC) by a South African company, Clear Channels. The mayor spent sh300m on the plastic posters while the bins themselves cost sh320m. This is rather strange. He justifies his action tha
Kampala mayor Nasser Sebaggala has displayed his picture on the new garbage bins donated to Kampala City Council (KCC) by a South African company, Clear Channels. The mayor spent sh300m on the plastic posters while the bins themselves cost sh320m. This is rather strange. He justifies his action that bringing the 500 bins to Kampala is one of his achievements and therefore he has the right to advertise himself.
It is true politicians advertise themselves all over the world, but Sebaggala is not in order on this occasion. He is the undisputed mayor of Kampala and the time of campaigns is over so he had nothing to prove. He should be settling down to serious business by now. A tiger that is at pains to prove its ‘tigritude’ might be mistaken for a scarecrow.
His action is not right because by advertising on the bins he has actually turned a noble cause into a political gimmick. It seems political capital was more important than any other consideration. It calls into question his financial prudence as mayor of Kampala and causes anxiety about his judgement. If the purpose of the garbage bins is to make Kampala cleaner, at sh300m the mayor could have demonstrated his commitment to his duty by doubling the number of bins Clear Channels donated.
Alternatively, the money could have served a better purpose if it had been spent on garbage collection or even buying a garbage truck. By advertising on the bins, he deprived the city of badly needed income. The space could have been used by corporate companies to advertise their products or for social campaigns like the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Posters, particularly plastic ones, are the last thing Kampala needs at a time when polythene bags have been banned in the country.
The fact that some people have started pulling them off should be a message to the mayor that all is not well.
It is true politicians advertise themselves all over the world, but Sebaggala is not in order on this occasion. He is the undisputed mayor of Kampala and the time of campaigns is over so he had nothing to prove. He should be settling down to serious business by now. A tiger that is at pains to prove its ‘tigritude’ might be mistaken for a scarecrow.
His action is not right because by advertising on the bins he has actually turned a noble cause into a political gimmick. It seems political capital was more important than any other consideration. It calls into question his financial prudence as mayor of Kampala and causes anxiety about his judgement. If the purpose of the garbage bins is to make Kampala cleaner, at sh300m the mayor could have demonstrated his commitment to his duty by doubling the number of bins Clear Channels donated.
Alternatively, the money could have served a better purpose if it had been spent on garbage collection or even buying a garbage truck. By advertising on the bins, he deprived the city of badly needed income. The space could have been used by corporate companies to advertise their products or for social campaigns like the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Posters, particularly plastic ones, are the last thing Kampala needs at a time when polythene bags have been banned in the country.
The fact that some people have started pulling them off should be a message to the mayor that all is not well.