Several projects in Kampala City have stalled for months since the city Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago stopped convening the Authority’s meetings last year.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive Director, Jenifer Musisi told New Vision Online that the failure by Lukwago to convene meetings has affected several projects including revenue collection.
Musisi said that KCCA cannot collect the monthly fees from taxis plying the city routes until Lukwago convenes the Authority’s meetings to fix a new monthly fee.
KCCA was earning sh1.2b per month from taxis until recently when Court stopped the drivers from paying the sh120,000 monthly fee.
Court told the drivers to resume paying the fee only after the Authority has cleared it. Musisi said KCCA has cut down its expenditure since the ruling was made.
Much of the revenue collected from taxis was reportedly going towards beatifying the city an activity of public interest likely to stall because of financial constraints.
The authority is also supposed to study and review the new terms under which Pioneer Easy Bus Company will operate before allowing it to hit the road again.
But the buses may not return even after clearing the sh8b debt Pioneer owes Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) until KCCA meets to endorse the new terms.
The buses had brought hope among the city dwellers using public means to travel to Kampala because they were cheaper than the taxis.
Kampala Minister Frank Tumwebaze is among the city leaders blaming Lukwago for paralyzing the city service delivery.
Tumwebaze said that the delay to constitute the standing committees of the Authority is due to Lukwago’s failure to convene the meeting.
The committees monitor the performance of the nine directorates in KCCA but since June 2012 when their term expired, they have not been functioning.
On April 4, Tumwebaze wrote a worded letter to Lukwago reminding him of his duties and directing him to call at least one meeting in April.
“I have no doubt you are aware the Authority must sit at least once in three months and you are charged with convening it. I direct you to convene a meeting,” he said.
But Lukwago replied the letter with legal vocabularies and accusing the minister of siding with his ‘enemies’ including Musisi.
Unfortunately, Lukwago’s allies in KCCA, like Sulaiman Kidandala the deputy lord Mayor are also affected by his failure to convene the Authority’s meetings.
Since he was appointed last year, Kidandala has not been receiving a salary and other benefits.
Musisi says he can get the benefits if Lukwago convenes an ordinary meeting to endorse the vote on his appointment.
By John Semakula and Brian Mayanja, The New Vision
