Musisi, Lukwago squabbles
take centre stage as KCCA marks 19
months
AL-MAHDI SSENKABIRWA
Musisi, Lukwago squabbles
take centre stage as KCCA marks one year
It looked like a good
start for the two principals of Kampala, Mr Erias Lukwago, the Lord Mayor and
Ms Jennifer Musisi, the executive director. And with the new faces at City Hall
and a new law, KCCA Act 2011 in place to governing the city it was hoped by
many that Kampala was destined to get an overhaul. However, one year down the
road, nothing much seems to have changed as both officials have spent much time
in squabbles .
LUKWAGO -MUSISI
RELATIONSHIP
The main borne of
contention has largely been on the powers which the KCCA 2011 gives the
executive director over the lord mayor and if there is something that has bred
animosity between these two heads , in the last 19 months then it is this law .
While the Act, under 11(c) depicts Lukwago as a ceremonial
Lord Mayor has severally failed to accept this, saying he was voted into office
by people of Kampala and wields considerable powers. While the Act under
section 11(1) empowers the Lord mayor to be the political head of the capital
city, the same Act, under section 17(i) mandates the executive Director the
duty of being the Chief executive of the Authority, thereby ranking her above
the Lord Mayor, something the latter has detested to the extent of petitioning
the courts of law. However, whenever she is pinned as to why she usurps the
powers of the Lord Mayor, Ms Musisi calmly responds that Mr Lukwago was in
parliament when the law passed was being passed and never opposed it. This has
not only bred bad blood between the two but also stifled service delivery in
the city
Besides politics analysts contend that, there could be other reasons to
account for the differences between the two KCCA principals. After his
swearing in ceremony, Mr. Lukwago heaped endless praises on Ms Musisi who he
described as a very hard working lady. In his own words he said. “....permit
me to congratulate madam Jennifer Semakula Musisi upon her appointment......I
have appreciated the enthusiasm with which Jennifer is keen to work with us
towards a shared vision of a modern capital city...” It should be
recalled that after assuming duties as Executive Director, Ms Musisi invited
the Lord Mayor to agree on a number of things including his swearing in
ceremony. It should also be recalled that in the early days of their
relationship, they jointly evicted Nasser Sebaggala and Gen. Tinyefuza from
KCCA houses, plus putting a halt on many illegal transactions that were carried
out by the Sebaggala regime. As if to fulfill the adage of one good turn
deserves another, the Lord Mayor, on June 20, 2011, while
in chair, risked his political standing when he strongly supported the passing
of KCCA budget which had got stiff resistance from councilors and the
divisional mayors. Then what could have spoilt the fertile relationship the two
officials which they enjoyed in the first three months? .An insider in the
mayors office who preferred anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter
pointed at Musisi’s shroud working style and salary
discrepancies as the likely cause of the unending bickering between the two .
But Musisi insists that a lot has been
achieved in a space of 19 months despite the challenges at hand.
She cites internal
controls which have helped improve efficiency, effectiveness as well as
stamping out corruption.
“ As we speak today the
city is relatively clean and there is an increase in revenue collection as well
as reducing wasteful expenditure ”,
In the past one and half years
, more than 2,000 stray cows, 1000 sheep, goats and pigs have been seized by
law enforcement officers. To reclaim their animals, the owners must pay a fine
which has generated revenue for the authority. In September last year, despite
criticism from some quarters, Musisi evicted street vendors who were making
many streets dirty and congested.
Recently , this
news papers ran a special report unmasking the planning dilemmas faced by
the city and its surrounding towns which has been exacerbated by delays to
institute a metropolitan physical planning authority team which must oversee
planning issues in the metropolis. The continued growth of greater Kampala is a
result of the population growth which is partly driven by rural to urban
migration.
With just 170 acres in
1902, Kampala has continued to expand, mainly through annexation of adjacent
townships and rural areas and currently spreads over 893 square kms. As the
city boundaries extended, the population increased too from 2,850 in 1912 to
about 4million today. The government’s economic development plans have also
tended to concentrate commercial and industrial investments in Kampala which
has created new job opportunities and attracted even more people from rural
areas . Former agricultural and vacant lands within 15-20km radius of the
city, primarily to the north, east and south have also become increasingly
residential, mostly with unplanned, inadequate services and poor quality
housing . They city’s unplanned expansion has also begun to spill in the city’s
former wetlands which are prone to flooding.
Utility shots:
The city’s population has
grown from 2,850 in 1912 to 24,000 in 1948 to 458,000 by 1980 to 1,
208, 000 in 2002 and about 4million to date.
Journalist
Monitor Publications Ltd
P.O.Box,1241,Kampala
E-mail:assenkabirwa@ug.nationmedia.com
Mobile: +256-712-725557
“When I thought I couldn’t go on, I forced myself to keep
going .My success is based on persistence, not luck.” Norman Lear
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