Parliament’s Committee on Public Accounts – Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) on Wednesday 1st March, put Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)’s technical team to task over delayed payment of causal workers who have gone for months without pay.
Led by KCCA Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, the technical team was also queried over non-remittance of statutory payments like National Social Security Fund (NSSF) contribution for workers and pay as you earn.
Kampala city cleaners on February 27, 2023 stormed Kampala Capital City Authority (KCAA) protesting delayed salary payment, NSSF remission and unfair contract termination, among others. They also accused KCCA officials of nepotism in job appointments.
MPs were also not happy with KCCA’s perennial governance quarrels pitting the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago against the authority’s technical wing, paralyzing progress in the city.
These concerns were noted by the Auditor General in the report of Financial Year 2021/22.
Kisaka said the authority will, going forward, pay the casual workers on time.
“We are in the process of streamlining our casual workforce’s payments so that they are paid on time in future,” she said.
Committee Chairperson, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi asked Kisaka to make haste in righting the payments anomaly.
“The pay is little and then it also comes late; let us avoid double trouble and pay those workers on time. Why would you hire 2000 workers when you know you cannot remunerate them,” he said.
Kisaka was questioned by Hon. Muwada Nkunyingi (NUP, Kyaddondo East) over claims by the Lord Mayor Lukwago that she undermines the political leadership in violation of the Kampala Capital City Authority (Amendment) Act 2019. She defended herself against the accusations.
“We facilitate the review of the budget proposals [by the Executive Committee]; I am not a member of council so I work through the City Executive Committee headed by the Lord Mayor; that is something that we consistently perform,” she said.
On the non-remittances, Kisaka blamed lack of finances for the challenge, and said if the Ministry of Finance does release the funds, the payments will be duly made.
The authority’s technical wing will be busy with Cosase in coming days following queries from the Auditor General and accusations of intransigence and inflation of project costs by Lord Mayor Lukwago.
