City mayors, councilors clash over roles

PIC: The council meeting at the KCCA Chambers. (Credit: Godiver Asege)

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) councilors have solidly agreed to devolve some services and functions to division urban mayors.

The decision came after a heated debate that saw mayors walk out in protest after councilors failed to move a motion tabled by Central division mayor Charles Sserunjogi.

The mayors had earlier petitioned the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago seeking devolution of functions and services shortly after they were sworn into office in June.

Lukwago convened the authority council that resolved to establish the Joint Legal Affairs and Treasury Services committee.

And in its recommendation, the committee, chaired by Bruhan Byaruhanga( Kyambogo), stated that the division urban councils resolve in their respective councils their position on the devolution of functions and services as petitioned.

Mayors Sserunjogi (Central), Emmanuel Sserunjogi (Kawempe) and Ronald Baliomwezo (Nakawa) told councilors that they had petitioned Lukwago in accordance with section 35 of the KCCA Act, 2010 which gives KCCA councilors powers to devolve the services and functions to division urban council.

The mayors were of the view that the councilors in their 3th ordinary meeting should invoke Section 35 of the KCCA Act.

In a motion tabled by councilor Kennedy Okello (Nakawa), they voted that they should give the mayors some powers to carry out services to their people.

"We should vote on this matter rather than throwing it back to the mayors, let us agree that we should give the mayors some powers."

Lukwago adjourned council until Tuesday to let mayors and the legal affairs committee to meet with division mayors and forge a way of consulting the central government on the matter.

The Lord Mayor called the ordinary meeting to swear in members representing professional bodies, to address matters concerning the devolution of urban mayors' powers and address matters of Usafi, Wandegeya and other city markets.

Byaruhanga said it is the authority's role to receive the request of devolution of functions from the division councils, adding that it is a long process where the Authority has to discuss the matter and then it is forwarded to the central government through the minister for Kampala for more inquiries.

He said there is no way KCCA can give functions to all divisions adding that although all the divisions claim to have submitted official requests, they are not yet before council.