Kampala Capital City Authority Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka and Kampala Minister, Kabuye Kyofatogabye have clashed over payment of KCCA councillors who fled for Kyeyo in Canada R
The minister warned that Kisaka risks being dragged to court with KCCA after she directed that salaries for councillors reported to have abandoned their offices for greener pastures be halted.
The minister says the executive director has no powers whatsoever to stop any one's salary especially if their immediate supervisor has not filed any complaints.
"There is no law giving powers to the ED to stop any of the councillors' salaries.”
About 30 councillors are said to have fled the country abandoning their political positions for greener pastures with some reportedly seeking asylum.
According to Nakawa division Mayor, Paul Mugambe, some of these have fled the country over persecution from government and have sought asylum.
Others are reported to have gone to further their education.
Kampala council speaker, Zahra Luyirika also said the said councillors “are way on official leave and will return when the two years leave comes to an end.”
They are said to have left the country after swearing in, prompting the executive director to block their salaries.
Kisaka has also moved to have the absentee councillors' seats declared vacant and has consequently written to the Lord mayor Elias Lukwago to show cause why their seats should not be declared vacant.
"The conduct of the councilors brings them into the ambit of regulations 3(c) and (j) of the Third schedule of the Local Governments Act, Cap 243 (as amended)” which provides for vacation of a seat of councillors," Kiseka said.
This move however has been questioned by the state minister for Kampala who says only the speaker of the council can make a report on councilors the basis for the ED to make any decisions which in this case has not been done.
Kyofatogabye is worried the ED’s move might cost KCCA should the affected councilors choose to go to court.
“The ED must act within the law otherwise these people will take KCCA to court and the authority ends up paying heavily as has been the case in different cases.”
However the deputy executive director KCCA, Eng. David Luyimbazi who acknowledged they have halted paying the said councilors insists, “the councilors must prove they are on leave sanctioned by the authority before having them reinstated.”