KAMPALA – The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has asked the Kampala City Council Authority Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka to resolve the conflicts among divisions and markets in Kampala.
The Speaker while meeting the Kisaska and her team on Wednesday 21, October 2020 in her boardroom said that there have been several instances where representatives from the divisions have reached out to her over not being allowed to exercise their mandate and being starved of their privileges.
“I have been petitioned by the divisions over issues to do with powers and budgets between them and the Authority. This is something that you need to resolve as the new head but within the law,” she said.
She said that Rubaga Division leadership had recently reached out to her about the decision by the authority to pave and rehabilitate roads in the neighbouring Wakiso and ignored those needing similar attention in Rubaga.
“They said that the revenue generated from them should be used to develop their area,” she added.
Furthermore on markets, she said that they have been a controversial area with threats of the government selling some them off.
“This morning I had a petition from Nakasero Market management saying that they own it and should not be included in those that the government plans to sell,” she added.
According to the Speaker, the management said that in 2010, they had an arrangement with the President giving them full ownership of the market.
The Speaker also asked the authority to improve the welfare of the low income people through building better low-cost housing to replace the slums.
Kisaka responded saying that she would endeavour to work on the relationship between the divisions and authority for harmonious co-existence.
On the issue of markets, Kisaka said there is a Private Member’s Bill on markets coming to Parliament that the Authority has made substantial contribution to.
“We have proposed to streamline management, revenue collection, ownership and supervision of the markets with a unique approach to all the 84 markets,” she added.
Kisaka, however, said with laws governing the markets and support from the top leadership, the issues surrounding markets will be resolved.
Furthermore, Kisaka said they are working with the National Housing and Construction Corporation to avail low-cost housing in the unsettled areas of Kampala.
She added that they were financially constrained in implementing some of these projects and requested for Parliament support to enhance its budget.
