Cabinet approves new KCCA salary structure

Cabinet has approved the sh3.1b proposed salary structure for newly elected political leaders in Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

The proposed remuneration structure for the 30 political leaders, including the KCCA speaker, Abubaker Kawalya, was presented before Cabinet on Monday by Kampala minister Betty Amongi.

She asked her colleagues to approve the amendment of the KCCA Act to provide for the remuneration and clearance for certificate of financial implication to support the amendment.

Under the approved remuneration, the KCCA speaker will be paid sh14.7m per month; deputy speaker sh12.5m; three authority council executive members sh12.5m each; 15 urban division council executive committee members sh8.9m each; five urban council speakers sh6m each and urban division council deputy speakers, sh6m each.

"Cabinet also approved the amendment to the KCC Act to provide for determination of remuneration structure for the newly elected political leaders. The proposed remuneration structure was presented to the Ministry of Public Service for review, which guided the Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs to obtain a certificate of financial clearance and also seek approval from Cabinet," Amongi says in her Cabinet memorandum on remuneration of newly-elected political leaders in KCCA.

"The new positions require determination of the remunerations since the current structure of remuneration does not cater for these positions," she added.

Under the financial year 2020/2021, sh17.2b was provided for in the budget to cater for remuneration for KCCA political leaders. However, if the newly elected 30 leaders are to be paid, Amongi, said the law needs to be amended because the current KCCA law does not have provisions to enhance their payment.

According to the Cabinet memorandum, the 30 new political leaders will require a sh3.1b annual budget for salaries and allowances.

For instance, the KCCA speaker and deputy will earn sh2m for transport allowance, sh70,000 for weekly airtime, and sh100,000 as weekly medical allowances.

In March, Abubaker Kawalya, the councillor for Rubaga North, was elected speaker for KCCA, among other leaders.

This followed the amendment of the KCCA Act last year. Under sections 8 and 29, the KCCA Act established the offices of speakers and deputy speakers of the KCCA and division urban councils, whose functions include presiding over meetings of the council and enforcement of rules of procedure.

According to a Cabinet memo, the ministers, during the Monday meeting, said: "The newly created remuneration structure and the associated wage bill for the new political leaders created by Kampala Capital City (Amendment) Act, 2019 would be implemented this financial year."