Beti Kamya, Musisi infighting paralyses work at KCCA

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has said that the fights between the Kampala minister Beti Kamya and the executive director, Jennifer Musisi have delayed the implementation of the proposed salary increment for KCCA political leaders.

Kamya recently proposed  30 per cent salary increment for  all the city’s political leaders including the Lord Mayor, deputy Lord Mayor, division mayors, deputy division mayors, authority councillors and division councillors.

However, while addressing journalists on Thursday at his office in Kampala, Lukwago said that  the new salary structure as proposed by Kamya has stalled because of her misunderstandings with Musisi.

"This has been reflected in communication between the two ladies in regards to the matter.The tone of each one's letter clearly shows there is bickering between the two," Lukwago told journalists.

According to Lukwago, the Kampala minister has powers to increase salaries for political leaders of the city but said because of the fights between the two ladies, Musisi has refused to endorse the proposal citing lack of funds.

According to a letter dated October 27,2017, Kamya accused Musisi of asking for a supplementary budget from government to a tune of Shs 3 billion to cater for the proposed increment yet all that was needed was to enhance the current budget with Shs 1 billion.

"Two billion had already been set aside in the 2017/18 budget. It is not clear why you asked for a supplementary budget of Shs 3 billion when what was needed was an extra one billion," wrote Kamya in a letter to Musisi copied to the minister of Finance and other officials.

However, according to Lukwago, this has been the state of affairs for a long time and has affected the salary increment for the political leaders.

He said: "Beti Kamya is blackmailing political leaders that all is well whereas Musisi is behaving as if she is the alpha and omega at KCCA. They are busy politicking instead of working. This  bickering will not help."

The lord mayor said he would summon the two parties to a meeting so as to help them sort out their issues for work at City Hall to move on smoothly.

According to the current salary structure issued for  KCCA, the lord mayor earns a net salary of Shs11,427,305, while division mayors earn Shs7,150,000.

KCCA councillors get a net salary of Shs3.150,000 whereas division councillors get a net salary of Shs2,300,000.