KCCA councilors seek special sitting

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA councilors are seeking a special council sitting to discuss challenges facing the populace.

On Monday, the Speaker of KCCA Abubaker Kawalya convened a business council meeting with some members of standing committees and resolved to meet the Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs.

Kawalya says the council needs to assess the food distribution exercise, discuss flooding in Kampala, Shillings 2 billion budget allocation to KCCA to fight COVID-19 and garbage collection among other issues.

Last month, the Kampala Minister, Betty Amongi suspended all council sittings at City Hall and the five divisions of Kampala for two weeks on grounds that councillors come from different places and meeting in one place was against the COVID-19 directives.

Councillors were set to have their sitting on 9th April but the Acting Executive Director of KCCA in a letter addressed to the speaker advised against the meeting saying the minister needed to lift the ban.

Doreen Sabuka, the woman councillor from Makindye says while government battles COVID- 19, other council businesses should not come to a standstill. She is concerned about the health of people during the rainy season.

Kennedy Okello the councillor Nakawa 2, says just like parliament, the council can operate under specific guidelines. He says they can ensure proper handwashing and physical distancing. Okello says accountability has to continue even during a lockdown.

A number of councillors are concerned about the slow pace of food distribution exercise that started on Saturday 4th April.

Ismail Ddamba, the councillor Rubaga South says out of the 13 parishes in his area, only Nakulabye, Lungujja, Lubya and Mutundwe have received food.

Ddamba says the lockdown could be lifted and distribution stopped before the needy get it.

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