Kampala Lord Mayor hopeful Joseph Mayanja alias Chameloene has said his competitor and current Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has not helped youth get out of poverty and that is the reason he wants him out of office.
The singer cum politician was speaking on the sidelines of his management launch press conference at Sky Lounge in Kampala yesterday.
Asked why he wants to unseat Lukwago as the Lord Mayor, the singer said that Lukwago had failed miserably at helping youth get out of poverty and attracting foreign investors
“He (Lukwago) has failed to fight poverty amongst youth, Youth are poor. For someone to be a leader and yet fail to create opportunities for people is appalling. The biggest problem we have is poverty,” he said.
“He has also failed t attract foreign investors to bring more job opportunities, that is why Museveni is confusing them with money,” he added.
Lukwago and Chameleone are most likely to face off for the post of Kampala Lord Mayor in 2021, with the latter holding the Democratic Party ticket.
Lukwago has already opposed the introduction of 980 cashless busses in the city dubbed Tondeka.
The Works ministry announced that the bus initiative will start in September this year. However, Lukwago said he has not been formally informed and that has only seen it in the press. Among the issues he raised is the funding of the project, how the project fits into the multi-model transport plan for Kampala, how other stakeholders have been included in the process, poor infrastructure and the roles and obligations of KCCA in the project.
Lukwago accused the ministry of jumping the gun and rushing to bring in buses without proper planning and wondered if any lesson had been picked from the previously failed ventures.
“You have parked more than 200 buses in Namboole [belonging to Pioneer Bus Company]. Now you are bringing 980……why bring new ones while others are rotting here? You have not sorted out the problem,” he added.
KCCA spokesperson Peter Kaujju, however, said KCCA is aware of the project and that Tondeka Bus Company had met with the KCCA technical team.
“Consultations are going on between government and Tondeka..…every stakeholder will be consulted in due course,” he said.
