Lukwago drags Kamya, Musisi to court over salary

Kampala Lord Mayor, Elias Lukwago addresses the media at City Hall after filing the suit. Photo by Juliet Kasirye

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has dragged the Minister for Kampala, Beti Kamya, the executive director KCCA Jennifer Musisi alongside the Attorney General and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to the High Court, seeking to recover over sh500m in unpaid salary for two years.

Lukwago, who filed his application in court on Tuesday, sought orders compelling the respondents to release the accumulated salary arrears that have not been paid since December 2013 to May 2016, totalling sh563,416,650.

He also seeks to be paid general and exemplary damages for psychological torture, mental anguish and emotion stress he has suffered.

He wants a declaration that the conduct of the respondents in continuing to halt his salary without any lawful justification is improper in law and ultra vires.

Lukwago also seeks an order quashing the decision by the Minister for Kampala stopping the remittance of his accumulated emoluments and compel the KCCA executive director to implement the resolution in which the authority directed that he should be paid without delay.

According to the affidavit Lukwago swore in support of his application, he was legitimately elected the Lord Mayor of Kampala and he diligently executed his obligations amidst challenges.

However, in May 2013 some of the KCCA councillors together with the then Minister for Kampala Frank Tumwebaze commenced impeachment proceedings against him on grounds of incompetence, abuse of office and misconduct.

He contends that while the then Minister for Kampala unlawfully appointed a tribunal to gather evidence against him, he was able to secure a ruling stopping it from inquiring about him.

The High Court declared null and void the impeachment process and stopped the Electoral Commission from holding a by-election that had been ordered. All Government officials and organs were restrained from perpetrating any form of interference with the office of the Lord Mayor.

Lukwago averred that he was re-elected Lord Mayor in 2016 with over 75% of the votes cast.             

The Mayor contends that the respondents have, without any justifiable cause refused to release his salary in total disregard of KCCA resolutions.

 During a press conference at the City Hall, Lukwago told the media that he had waited long enough.

"I have taken this discussion painfully, because I am dragging the institution I am working with and people I have been working with. Enough is enough, I am not a charitable organization," Lukwago lamented.

I have dragged them to court because of my accumulating arrears, Musisi as the accounting officer of the institution and was aware of our council resolution of December in which they agreed to pay my arrears. ​