"The City Executive's position therefore is that the above council meeting be stayed until after the induction processes are exhausted…the Clerk to the Authority has been accordingly instructed to organize the next induction session scheduled for next week where all council members shall be inducted,” read Nyanjura’s letter.
The Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA
Executive Committee chaired by the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago was no show at Thursday’s
council sitting demanding that councilors be inducted on the KCCA Amendment Act
of 2020.
On Monday, the office of the KCCA Speaker issued a notice
summoning council to discuss a number of issues
including the Historical Buildings and Sites Ordinance and stimulus package for
City traders.
A day later, the KCCA Deputy Lord Mayor and leader of
Council Business, Doreen Nyanjura wrote back asking the speaker to stay the
council meeting until members are inducted.
She noted that both the Speaker and his deputy absconded
from an induction meeting organized by the executive committee without any
explanation despite being invited. The induction meeting was attended by
members of the Executive Committee, Executive Director, her deputy and all Directors.
The induction was aimed at streamlining the
operations of the Authority in line with the KCCA Amendment Act (2020),
according to Nyanjura. "The City Executive's position
therefore is that the above council meeting be stayed until after the induction
processes are exhausted…the Clerk to the Authority has been accordingly
instructed to organize the next induction session scheduled for next week where
all council members shall be inducted,” read Nyanjura’s letter.
However, the KCCA Deputy Speaker Byaruhanga
dismissed Nyanjura’s claims and pointed her to section 8C of the KCCA Act where
the council derives its business. "I am dismayed by the incompetence that
is being exhibited by the Executive committee especially in assigning itself
roles that are not in their mandate. The executive should desist from usurping
the mandate of the council as enshrined in the law,” reads Byaruhanga’s letter.
He argued that Nyanjura's claim "has no
legal, administrative or moral basis". Byaruhanga contends that the office of the
Minister for Kampala already inducted members in a training that happened in
February 2020. This morning, Byaruhanga asked the council members
not to discuss Nyanjura’s letter, saying it was written out of ignorance and
shouldn't take their time.
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According to the KCCA Amendment Act 2020, which
introduced the office of the Speaker and the City Executive Committee, the
office of the speaker presides over the house and operates as a parliament
while the executive committee that has the monitory role over the Authority
reports to council. Members of the committee serve as ministers. Section 8C of
the Act provides for functions of the Speaker, which includes presiding over
council meetings.
The five members of the executive committee are not the only
ones that skipped the meeting. Only 11 out of the 32 councilors showed up. The
meeting was meant to start at 10am but by 11am, there was no quorum. At least 16 councilors are required for
council to conduct business.
According to the rules of procedure, if there is no quorum,
after 30 minutes of the scheduled meeting time, the speaker adjourns the
proceedings for 15 minutes during, which a bell is rang. Upon expiry of the
extra time, if there still is no quorum, the speaker is mandated to adjourn or
suspend the proceedings without question.
The procedure was followed up to the end. Kawalya however asked the members present to
deliberate on the closure of the meeting, to schedule the next meeting or
suspend the current one and the office of the speaker investigate why members didn’t
show up.
In his submission, the Rubaga South Councilor,
Ismail Ddamba said they should schedule the meeting for another day next week.
He said several of their colleagues were engaging in political activities ahead
of the 2021 elections at the expense of their mandate at KCCA.
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Zamini Masunge, the Kawempe Woman Councilor
called for another meeting. She described the decision of the Executive
committee and councilors to skip the meeting as betrayal of people's trust.
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Nakawa 2 Councilor, Moses Okwera also condemned the action of
his colleagues, saying it indicates lack of seriousness.
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This is the second time a council meeting has flopped due to
lack of quorum while Byaruhaga is in charge, an action some say is a vote of no
confidence. The July 30th, 2020 council he was meant to chair also
flopped due to lack of quorum. The council resolved to have the next meeting on
August 19th, 2020.
