The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) missed the November 15 deadline for submitting the FY 2025/2026 budget framework papers to the Ministry of Finance, after failing to resolve critical issues raised by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
Lukwago stated that during a crisis meeting held on Friday evening with the Minister of Kampala, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, the Deputy Executive Director, members of the Central Executive Committee, and KCCA’s technical team, no progress was made.
On Tuesday, councilors from Kampala’s divisions agreed not to approve the KCCA budget unless the authority addresses four key priority issues. These include the devolution of power to division councils, allowing them to manage their budgetary appropriations.
Additionally, Lukwago highlighted that the FY 2025/2026 budget had been significantly reduced from 803 billion shillings in the 2024/2025 budget to 555 billion shillings, which he said undermines the budgeting system. He pointed out that essential priorities such as waste management, the street lighting master plan, road and drainage infrastructure development, and the remittance of property rate funds to urban councils have not been addressed.
Lukwago emphasized that if necessary, they would explore other legal options to submit the budget papers once the Kampala Minister coordinates with Finance Minister Matia Kasaija for a crisis meeting involving all stakeholders to discuss the priority issues.
Lukwago also mentioned that Minister Kabanda was unable to make significant progress during the meeting, as the issues raised required the intervention of the Minister of Finance.
After the meeting, which was closed to the media, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, the Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, declined to address journalists, stating that she was not ready to speak at that time. On Tuesday, Lukwago convened a meeting with all division councilors, mayors, and speakers to discuss the devolution issue and other critical matters.
They unanimously agreed to halt KCCA’s budgeting process until the demand for devolution of power, which was passed by the KCCA council in 2016, is fully implemented.
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