THIS WEEK: Lord Mayor cancels council meetings

THIS WEEK: Lord Mayor cancels council meetings

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala city Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago on Feb.05 suspended all council meetings until a work plan for the Kampala City Council Authority is developed.

Speaking to journalists, Lukwago said the technical team had resolved to boycott council meetings and that it didn’t make sense for him to continue convening meetings without them. He therefore said the meetings will resume after management reaches a decision on how business of the authority will be handled.

This move comes two weeks after a melee ensued at city hall when councilors tried to bar the technical team from moving out of the meeting following an announcement by Minister for Kampala Beti Kamya that the meeting was illegal. The Minister had earlier announced that her office would evaluate all meetings that have taken place both at KCCA and division councils since May 2016 when the lord mayor took over office for a new term.

However, there has been ongoing controversy between the technical and political team at the authority regarding how decisions are made. It’s because of disagreements, Samuel Sserunkuma the Acting Deputy Executive Director said that they resolved not to engage in any meetings until their grievances are ironed out. In a January 29 letter to Lukwago, Sserunkuma complained that the conduct by councilors when they held technical staff hostage was dishonorable and disconcerted members of management.