Kampala Minister asks IGG to investigate city markets fees

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Hajjat Minsa Kabanda wants the Inspector General of Government-IGG Beti Olive Namisango Kamya to investigate corruption in city markets.

According to Kabanda leaders in the City Markets are collecting garbage fees, despite the services being provided by KCCA. In 2020, President Yoweri Museveni suspended collections in markets, but Kabanda says that markets have continued to collect money and failed to account for it.

Kabanda was speaking on Tuesday at a workshop at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala where the Inspectorate of Government- IG was meeting political leaders in Kampala.

In September, Kabanda demanded accountability for money collected in markets including Owino Market and Nakasero market. She says, her investigations indicate that more than One Billion Shillings have been collected but unaccounted for.

Kabanda also asked the IGG to Investigate why in Wandegeya market, there are unoccupied lockups yet there is a presence of street vendors. Close to 100 lockups in Wandegeya Market are under lock and key by tenants who acquired them and turned them into stores.

Kabanda also accused KCCA enforcement officers of confiscating merchandise from street vendors. She says that her guidance to law enforcement officers to return the merchandise back to vendors has fallen on deaf ears.

The Deputy Speaker of KCCA Nasur Masaba expressed dismay that efforts by local government to fight corruption are frustrated by some government officials with selfish interests.

He specifically referred to the poor contract and procurement process which has seen government Institutions lose vital assets to private operators without following due processes.

He cited Kololo Secondary School land which was given to Sudhir Ruparelia.

Kamya said that the Inspectorate of Government is committed to working with ordinary people to fight corruption. According to the Inspectorate, Uganda loses over 20 trillion Shillings annually to corruption both in form of embezzlement, tax evasion, and poor service delivery.

She says that using the recently launched lifestyle audit it will be easier for the Inspectorate to catch corrupt officials whose wealth doesn’t tally with their known sources of income.

Kamya says that government plans to enter bilateral agreements with different countries across the world to send back illicitly acquired income kept in offshore accounts.

The City Speaker Zahara Luyirika said that the council is committed to fighting corruption.

She however expressed concern that several of their recommendations have not been implemented.

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