The jockeying for political control of the Kampala Capital City Authority between lord mayor Erias Lukwago and minister Beti Kamya shows no sign of letting up.
At a City Hall press conference on Monday, Lukwago accused Kamya of overstepping her mandate in the seven months she has been in office.
“She wants to pass off as the political head of Kampala, which I will not tolerate,” Lukwago said.
He said the minister had hijacked the roles of KCCA and uses the institution as a campaign platform to further President Museveni’s Kisanja Hakuna Mchezo. This, according to the mayor, is breeding confusion at KCCA. Kamya, he said, is governing the city by decree instead of being a supervisor.
“As we talk now, she has passed a decree that matatu [taxis] and boda boda [motorcycle] operators should vote [for their leaders] in March this year and that the elections be presided over by the Electoral Commission,” Lukwago said, noting that such issues are meant to be handled by the lord mayor.
According to Lukwago, Kamya has instead failed to do her duties such as establishing the metropolitan physical planning authority, which the mayor says is crucial for the proper governing of the city.
“Without this department, we cannot function. It is the engine of all that we do,” Lukwago said.
Lukwago also said the minister has failed to set up a Public Accounts Committee within KCCA for proper accountability purposes. Kamya, according to Lukwago, will be called to order in an elaborate process.
Court, he said, shall not be ruled out when need arises but first, an authority meeting will be held to impose sanctions on her, clearly defining her roles and the lord mayor’s roles.
DP WORRIES
Lukwago voiced his concern for DP’s fragile state as it continues to lose high-profile members to the ruling NRM. He spoke in reference to the recent appointment of Mohammed Baswari Kezaala as deputy ambassador.
The party, he says, is in a tricky situation that cannot be solved by the delegates’ conference, NEC or the National council.
Lukwago urged DP president general Norbert Mao to swallow his pride and admit there is a crisis, or risk presiding over the death of a party with a rich history.
“Kindly accept the dire situation the party is in right now and work out a mechanism that will involve all stakeholders to save our party,” Lukwago said.
Minister Kamya had not returned our phone calls by press time.
pbaike@yahoo.com