Jennifer Musisi: "I have played my part in rebuilding Kampala, let someone else take over"

Yesterday, October 15, Jennifer Musisi, the KCCA's executive director in a shock move tendered in her resignation.

Musisi who has been at the helm of KCCA for seven years cited several reasons for her decision including the unending fights between the political and technical wing at City Hall. Below is her resignation letter.

 

Your Excellency,

NOTICE OF RESIGNATION

This is to submit my resignation from the position of Executive Director, Kampala Capital City Authority with effect from 15th December 2018.

Your Excellency, over the last seven and half years, we have made progress towards transforming Kampala. Below are some of our performance highlights:

1. Institutional Transformation:

(i) Guided by the KCCA Act 2010, we set up KCCA as a new organisation with a new vision, mission and corporate strategic plan.

(ii) Prepared a new organization structure, defined the job profiles, job roles and recruited a motivated and passionate professional team to deliver on the mission, vision and strategic plan.

(iii) Rebranded and gave a new identity to the City Administration to match the new core values of Client Care, Integrity, Teamwork, Innovation and Excellence.

(iv) KCCA’s corporate image and credibility has transformed making it a benchmark in institutional and urban transformation for many local, regional and international organizations. (v) Kampala was in 2016 voted as the best East African City to live in by Mercer and in 2018 by the 2018 Quality Survey.

2. Human Resource Development

(i) Through training and capacity building KCCA has developed a highly professional team that has worked to transform Kampala City to what it is today

KCCA Staff represent the City and Uganda in many National and International bodies. We have also established welfare initiatives such as the Medical Scheme and Retirement Benefits Scheme.

We established staff savings schemes to encourage a saving culture, which have grown over the years as follows:

Staff SAACCO – UGX6.607,830.808=

Health Workers – UGX1.125.505.625=

Teachers SACCO – UGX1,753.540,000=

Drivers SACCO – UGX135,112.000=

Law Enforcement SACCO – UGX81.836.000=

Waste Management U Cleaners SACCO – UGX 472.236.350=

This has improved the lives of Staff by allowing them access loans as startup capital for other income generating and self-development activities.

3. Financial Management and Revenue Performance

(i) KCCA successfully implemented Public Financial Management reforms and was accorded Credit Rating of “K in the long term and ‘A1′ in the short-term by the World Bank.

(ii) KCCA has become a trusted corporate brand with robust financial management systems in place. This strong institutional credibility has attracted partnerships. Project funding. sponsorships from international agencies. Governments. NGOs. corporates. religious entities and even individuals.

(iii) The Institution has improved compliance with Government and other development partner procurement regulations scooping an 85.7% rating by PPDA. It has been rated as satisfactory by the World Bank KIIDP 1 and II projects because of the sound financial management and procurement systems.

(iv) KCCA has received Unqualified Audit Opinions from the Auditor General, for four consecutive Financial Years. as well as from the World Bank and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation audits.

(v) Bank accounts were reduced from 151 in 2011 to 8.

(vi) Currently Revenue is collected through URA Accounts and transferred to Bank of Uganda. The removal of all cash transactions has dealt with the risks of corruption and embezzlement of public funds in KCCA.

(vii) KCCA set up an Electronic Revenue Management System (eCitie) that asses, manages and accounts for revenue and eliminated cash collections. This has made revenue administration efficient and eased compliance. Payments are made using mobile phones and electronic banking and as a result, revenue collection has grown by 198% from UGX30Bn in 2011/12 to UGX89.4Bn in 2016/17. Unfortunately, this has lately declined to 165% in 2017118 due to inability to collect from taxis.

(viii) KCCA completed valuation of 15,029 properties in Central Division, and 8,400 properties in Nakawa Division all of which are on a ratable value of UGX 350Bn and annual property tax of more than UGX 22Bn. All these properties are geographically referenced and registration in other divisions of the City is ongoing.

4. Infrastructure Improvements:

(i) Over 210 km of roads have been reconstructed and upgraded to Bitumen and over 500kms of gravel roads maintained. KCCA has also been able to reconfigure and install responsive functional traffic signals at 20 junctions. Installed 4,988 streetlights in the City, of which 1,560 are solar street lights promoting ecofriendly initiatives.

(ii) With support from the World Bank under KIIDP II, KCCA has reconstructed and upgraded several roads to dual lanes.

(iii) In compensation for land given to widen Makerere Hill Road, KCCA rehabilitated Makerere University infrastructure i.e. 9km of roads with pavements, drainages and street lights, the University main gate, renovated the University Hospital, constructed the front stretch of the University wall fence,  three level Administration Block for Makerere College School and paved a list of parking space within the University.

(iv) Over 169kms of drainages maintained each year and over the last one year. KCCA completed reconstruction of 13 Km of community drains

(v) KCCA reconstructed the historical Kabakanjagala Road with solar lighting, greening walkways, bicycle lanes and re-panted Kabakanjagala trees.

(vi) I raised funds to construct the Natawetwa Round about which has been registered as a National Monument.

(vii) KCCA has jointly implemented projects with Buganda Kingdom including Bulungi Bwansi and the installation of clan monuments along the Royal Mile.

5. Kyanja Concrete Products Yard

KCCA established the Kyanja Concrete Yard to produce concrete products for City drainage and road projects at a lower cost as well as address unemployment through skilling youth. The yard produces culverts, pavers, curbstones, concrete barriers, interlocking bricks, manhole covers and flower pot manhole covers among others.

6. Education and Social Services

(i) KCCA runs 79 Government Aided Primary UPE schools, 22 Government Aided Schools and one USE School with a population of over 80,000 students.

(ii) Through staff contributions, donations and partnerships, we have been able to supplement the Government grants to rehabilitate and significantly improve many of these schools as well as their performance. KCCA has provided scholastic materials, constructed over 124 classrooms and 6 science laboratories, provided over 195 computers and 6 computer labs, supplied 1,501 3-sifter desks to over 20 schools, built classrooms blocks, constructed/ renovated 41 teachers’ houses, kitchens, provided 69 water harvesting and storage tanks, installed lightening arresters and solar reading lights for some students.

(iii) KCCA has fenced 9 schools and re-opened 3 public libraries including a mobile library.

(iv) We have also built 400 toilet stances including bio-gas toilets and community toilets, greatly reducing the student to stance ratio from 1:18 to 1:53. We have recently successfully secured grants for water systems and additional toilets for our schools and the public.

(v) KCCA Management has built and furnished a nursery school block at Bukesa Primary School, provided drinking water and built the wall around Nakivubo Blue Primary School.

7. Sports and Recreation

(i) KCCA restructured the KCCA Football Club to become into the leading professional National and Regional Club with significant corporate sponsorships. KCCAFC are the reigning Champions of the Premier League

(ii) KCCA recovered and is developing the KCCA Phillip Omondi Stadium. FIFA certified Artificial Turf has been installed.

(iii) Other KCCA Sports teams have participated at numerous National and Regional games and won many awards and trophies.

The entire Uganda Boxing Team to the recent Commonwealth Games comprised KCCA Boxing Club sportsmen.

8. Waste Management and Sanitation

(i) Garbage collection volumes have risen by 100% from 14,000 tons 2011 to over 35.000 tons in 2018

(ii) We have procured 132 acres of land at Dundu to build a new land fill, waste treatment and recycling plant. The process to secure an investor to develop it is in advanced stages supported by the International Finance Corporation and the PPP Unit of MOFPED.

(iii) Waste collection concessionaires have been contracted to collect garbage from the communities.

(iv) Out of the required fleet of at least sixty garbage trucks, we currently have less than twenty in good running condition due to budget constraints.

(v) Garbage bins have been placed in many areas of the City in partnership with the private sector.

(vi) Reservation schemes employing over 4.000 local community members have been set up and assigned the responsibility of cleaning the communities at a fee: this is creating jobs for thousands of people. Drainage and landscape teams will be added to these groups.

(vii) Five Plastic for Cash Collection Centres have been set up in different divisions as well as a plastic recycling and manure plant at Bugolobi.

9. Physical Planning

(i) KCCA was able to draw the Kampala Physical Development Plan (KPDP). It was approved in 2013 and highlighted integrated and regenerative urban planning as a key pillar of the City Development Policy. Funding to implement the plan is awaited.

(ii) With support from partners, preparation of neighbourhood plans in four City precincts of Nakasero, Kololo, Makerere and Mulago started.

(iii) Over 11,0000 trees have been planted in the City and over 15,875 square meters of green and open spaces have been restored or improved upon and 110Km of street greening.

(iv) Launched the Kampala Climate Change Strategy and currently undertaking a tree audit in the City.

(v) Time of review and approval of building plans also reduced from over 60 days to 14 working days if all requirements are met.

(vi) Many sections of the City have been decongested and improved: walkways/ frontages.

10. Street Addressing and House Numbering

(i) Under the City Address Model and Computer Aided Mass Valuation (CAM/CAMV), 88,579 properties have been numbered in Central and Nakawa Divisions. 585 house plates installed, 2,599 street signage faces have been installed on 1742 road sites, 360 roads have been named in seven parishes in Kawempe Division.

(ii) KCCA is currently rolling out the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) as one way to support planning, visualization, modelling in creating of a livable City and for promoting economic development. Streets have been given addresses and City properties given numbers and captured on our GIS and GPS systems.

11. Specialized Service Units

(i) The Land Management Unit

(ii) Client Care Centre and Services

(iii) Public Call Lines

(iv) Social Media Platforms,

(v) Client Care Desks in Units and Divisions

To improve client care services and efficiency, KCCA has constructed and established the Client Care Centre, Data Centre and Traffic Control Centre. A Revenue Centre has been set up at the One Stop Centre in partnership with URSB and URA

12. Health Services

Over the past seven years, we have recorded over 200% increase in demand for health services in the eight KCCA Health Centres which handle over 71.605 patients a month and over 859,262 annually. An average of 400 mothers deliver each week in KCCA facilities. KCCA provides the following services:

(i) General outpatient care ii. Family planning iii. Antenatal services iv. Laboratory services v. Nutrition services vi. Dental services vii. Maternity services viii. Special clinics i.e. HIV, TB, hearing. ophthalmology and circumcision services

(ii) We rehabilitated Kisugu, Komamboga, Kisenyi, City Hall Health Centres and the KCCA City Mortuary at Mulago.

(iii) Constructed maternity wards at Kawaala and Kitebi KCCA Health Centers with support from partners

(iv) Established a modern Renal Unit at Kisenyi. 10 modern Dental Units and improved laboratory services in all KCCA Health centers.

(v) Purchased five ambulances to improve the City referral services;

(vi) KCCA Health Centres and Naguru, Kawempe and Kiruddu hospitals were upgraded into modern 170 bed City hospitals to purposely accommodate the large and growing numbers and services provided. These have since been taken over by Mulago Referral Hospital

(vii) Over the last seven years Kampala has been recognized as providing the most improved health care in various areas.

(viii) Numerous partnerships in cash and in kind have been secured to support KCCA Health Service Delivery.

13. Gender, Production and Community Services

Markets and Workspaces: KCCA supported and availed land for the construction of Wandegeya Market now accommodating 1.200 traders:

(ii) A three-level structure in Busega is being constructed with support from the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABDEA) to provide 2,000 work-spaces to the community in Busega:

(iii) KCCA has procured land for construction of markets at Bukoto and Kitintale in Nakawa Division and Kasubi in Rubaga Division. We have also procured a six-acre USAFI Market and taxi park in Central Division

(iv) Other initiatives to provide affordable trading space include the Sunday Market. The Sunday Market Initiative along Luwum Street was launched to allow street vendors and others to sell their merchandise. Up to 800 — 900 vendors operate in the market.

(v) Employment Services Bureau: KCCA established the Employment Services Bureau to equip youth with special skills to make them employable or equip them to start their own businesses. Since 2014, 689 youths have been trained at the Bureau in ICT, entrepreneurship and leadership; while 3,786 youth have been profiled and linked to employment opportunities. KCCA also set up the National Job-Matching Database tool. To-date 532 job applicants and 12 companies have been uploaded on the system. Over 600 job seekers have been connected to employment through the Bureau. The Bureau has registered over 14,000 fresh graduates who have been trained under the I-Serve Program. Over 4000 youths have been trained and acquired ICT, life and social skills.

(vi) Kyanja Agricultural Resources Centre: The Kyanja Agricultural Resource Centre was established to promote and support modem urban farming technologies. It serves as a training and demonstration facility promoting practical skills on urban farming. We develop high quality plant and animal material for demonstration and distribution to urban and other farmers within and outside Uganda. So far, over 3,000 farmers have benefited. Demonstrations include greenhouse farming, fish farming, IMO supported pig breeding, Kroiler chicken breeding, artificial insemination, vegetables, high value vegetables herbs and other trials. The Centre is currently supported by the Netherlands Government to carry out a feasibility study to develop it into a Centre for Excellence for the East African Region. The Centre currently receives over 12,500 local and international visitors and farmers annually.

(vii) Community Driven Development Programmes: Several Community support programs have also been put in place with funding from the Government for community groups to receive loans as startup capital for developmental projects. Over UGX 2.78n has been disbursed to 281 projects benefiting over 3,000 youths.

(viii) Over 10.000 youth and 65.000 community members have been equipped with business skills and start- up capital to facilitate enterprise growth.

(ix) Over the last six years a total of UGX 4.034Bn has been disbursed to 1,138 groups across the five divisions of the City benefiting over 30,000 youth.

(x) Youth Livelihood Program: KCCA has through the Youth Loan Scheme managed by Centenary Bank given out loans worth UGX 6.7Bn. A total of 9,735 youth have benefited from the YLP since FY2011/12.

(xi) The Kabalagala Youth Centre was completed and operationalized.

14. KCCA Assets

From 2011 the value of KCCA assets has increased from UGX45Bn to UGX549Bn. i.e. 1,350% June 2017. This has been achieved through recovery of assets previously misappropriated and irregularly disposed of and acquisition of new assets. Some of these assets include prime land and buildings, school land, sports facility lands, markets, public spaces and project land. KCCA has developed a Climate Smart Investment Plan to optimize development of these assets.

15. Kampala City Festival

In 2012 KCCA launched the Kampala City Festival to bring together people across social, economic and political divides to celebrate Uganda’s Independence and give opportunity to large and small businesses to showcase and sell their products.

KCF which also promotes our various cultures and tourist attractions. has over the years grown, becoming East Africa’s biggest Street Festival with over four million people attending from within and outside Uganda each year

16. Awards and Recognitions

KCCA has received over 60 awards and recognitions and over 30 sports trophies in recognition of its achievements through National, Regional and International Assessments.

I have also received 38 awards at local, regional continental and global levels in recognition of the work I have done as a transformational leader.

Your Excellency, the Technical Team and I have had the capacity and commitment to do much more and have more impact on Kampala City than we have but have been constrained by the following challenges:

(i) One of the main challenges has been to reconcile the competing interests between political perspectives / decisions and the strategic plans, policies, regulations and work plans of the KCCA Technical Team. Consequently, it has increasingly become difficult to achieve set targets.

 

(ii) KCCA is unable to fully meet the Government and Public expectations in City Development Programmes and service delivery demands due to inadequate funding.

(iii) We currently have inadequate permanent staff on account of budget limitations, resulting in prolonged temporary terms of service and job insecurity. This has led to demotivation and high turnover of highly skilled staff. In addition, staff are not adequately facilitated in terms of tools, equipment and vehicles.

(iv) There is inadequate political support to the efforts of the KCCA Technical Team to transform Kampala. Many planned City improvement plans have not received political support and therefore not been implemented.

Uganda makes heavy investments in educating, training and employing professionals. For the Nation to fully benefit from this investment, professionals need to be allowed and supported to advise, develop and implement innovative solutions to the challenges we still face as a developing Nation. KCCA has developed a very competent, professional team that needs to be supported to continue the journey we started.

I believe that the visible transformation of Kampala over the last seven and half years is evidence that Ugandan institutions can be transformed by Ugandans.

The same transformation template if adopted and supported, can be rolled out to other institutions that are in need of institutional transformation and improved performance.

I have over the last seven years raised these issues numerous times to the Executive and the Legislature, which have at times made some efforts to address them.

However, on the whole, these challenges have not been substantially addressed; therefore hampering planned transformation programmes and expected service delivery.

KCCA’s initial five-year performance raised both public and Government expectations of the institution. But the challenges highlighted above have increasingly made it difficult for KCCA to meet these expectations.

On account of the above matters, I am not able to continue serving in the position of Executive Director, Kampala Capital City Authority.

Your Excellency, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve my nation both in Uganda Revenue Authority and Kampala Capital City Authority. I want to thank you for the times when you encouraged, supported and guided me to do my work.

I want to thank the KCCA Technical Team with whom I have worked diligently to transform Kampala. Together we have improved Kampala and made our City and Uganda shine globally.

I also want to sincerely appreciate our development partners, Nations, Agencies, Corporate Entities, the Private Sector and the many individuals who have supported us to transform Kampala.

In the service of God and My Country,

Jennifer Semakula Musisi, PhD (h.c.)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR