Author: Asuman Bisiika. PHOTO/FILE
The news in town is of the sacking of three senior executives at Kampala Capital City Authority. And the joke is about the replacement of those who were fired.
But, as usual, we have a suggestion. We suggest that Museveni appoints a State House unit to manage KCCA. We shall give details on this later.*****I have told this several times. One day I was heading to the minister responsible for Kampala Capital City Authority. At the entrance, a tall dark skinned guy cleared with security before me. He then rushed to enter the lift whose doors were ajar. He was in such a hurry one would think he was rushing to the labour room to see his first born.
The door of the lift closed shutting him off my sight. Seconds later, the lift door opened; the dark skinned guy looked straight into my eyes and beckoned: Asuman, lets go. So, you know me, I asked the stranger? My name is Charles. Charles Ouma, he responded rather flatly betraying no emotions. More strange, Charles and I were going to the same floor; and oh yes, to the same office.We found the big man slouching on a sofa. He stood up and hugged me (ignoring Mr Ouma). And then, even before greeting Ouma, he said: Charles, this man here will solve all your political problems. He is a witch. He can change water into milk.Ouma was the director in-charge of legal department at KCCA (and also responsible for contracts, procurement and disposal of assets).
Mr Ouma later secured me a meeting with Ms Jeniffer Ssemakula Musisi, then the venerable executive director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).Musisi briefed me on KCCA’s issues in great detail. And I told her that my assignment was to assess the political impact of her executive actions. I am also supposed to suggest mitigation actions, I added.I advised her not to weaponise her proximity to the President.
And that orders of the appointing authority (written or verbal) are as good as the law allows; beyond the law, it will always be her to account. So, the administrative management of the process of executing orders from above is important. I told her that where I come from, the President must at all times be protected from his mistakes (personal or official).At that time, the biggest issue at KCCA was Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago’s choice of deputy mayor. Given what Ms Musisi had told me, I advised her to immediately allow Mr Sulaiman Kidandala to be deputy mayor.
She refused. I gave up. What followed is, as they say, history.Clearly, my witchcraft was a no-seller here; but the confusion that followed is well known and documented. Ms Musisi (and all the directors) left KCCA. And needless to say, Musisi’s replacement has been fired.******My suggestion on the management of KCCA is that Mr Museveni should appoint a State House Unit on KCCA. We can add the word strategic to give the unit the aura of classified mystery. Something like: State House Strategic Unit on KCCA (SHSUK). This would enable Mr Museveni to take full charge of the venerable and dirtiest capital city in East Africa.We have done this for Uganda Revenue Authority. We are taking back UNRA to the ministry. So, KCCA should be managed by a desk in State House. Otherwise, the Office of KCCA’s Executive Director will remain the most dangerously insecure job in Uganda’s public service.
Mr Bisiika is the executive editor of the East African Flagpost.
