City dwellers hail Musisi for scrapping toilet fees

By Taddeo Bwambale and Juliet Waisswa

Kampala dweller and those transacting business in the city have welcomed the scrapping of tax for public toilet use.

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director, Jennifer Musisi during a budget presentation for 2012/13 scrapped the fees.

"In a move to improve sanitation in the city, KCCA is proposing that toilets facilities be provided free of charge," she said to a thunderous applause.

"All convenience in commercial establishments and those owned by KCCA around the city should be freely accessible to all as provided for under the public health ordinance," she explained.  

The authority has allocated sh250m to meet expenses for maintaining, cleaning and securing equipment in the established public toilets.

There are about 105 public toilets in Kampala, of which KCCA manages only three. It costs between sh200 and sh500 per person for each visit. KCCA estimates that there are over 2,550 users of public toilets per day.

However, most of the toilet facilities around the central business district reek of smell and many dreaded using them.

President Yoweri Museveni, while addressing a rally at Kololo airstrip in 2010, criticised city authorities for privatising the management of public toilets, describing the act as exploitation.

"It is unfortunate that the poor cannot access toilets because of charges ranging from sh200 to sh700. I want to stop this exploitation of the poor and introduce free toilets," Museveni said.

He pledged to build 300 free public toilets in the city if re-elected, and promised to start with Kawempe division, which has the worst facilities.

KCCA’s budget is sh148.2b for the financial year 2012/2013.

Of this amount, the Government has committed sh86.8b, indicating a sh15b funding shortfall compared to last year.

Musisi said the Authority would review its internal sources of revenue to raise sh61.7b.

These include among others markets fees, street parking and taxi fees, property rates, licenses and outdoor advertising.

The Authority is expected to approve the budget during today's special council meeting. The division mayors yesterday asked Musisi to specify the breakdown for each division.

Other highlights of the budget include sh500m for travel abroad for political leaders of the Authority, in addition to sh100m for local travel. They will also get a sh348m to cater for office imprest, welfare and entertainment. However, KCCA staff will not get a pay rise.