KABANDA URGES NEW KCCA COUNCILORS TO PUT CITY INTEREST ABOVE POLITICS

The Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, has urged newly elected Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) councillors to put aside political differences and work closely with the technical leadership to deliver better services to city residents.

Kabanda made the call on Tuesday while opening a three-day induction programme for members of the KCCA Authority Council at Imperial Golf Course Hotel in Entebbe.

The induction, running from August 11 to 13, is aimed at equipping the new political leadership with the knowledge and skills required to effectively execute their roles, while deepening their understanding of KCCA’s mandate, governance structures, legal framework and operational processes.

“Our responsibility is to make Kampala a city that works with functional roads and drainage, properly managed garbage, organised and productive markets, an orderly business environment and safe movement for pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and public transport users,” Kabanda said.

She added that Kampala must be a city where development is properly planned and regulated and, most importantly, where ordinary citizens can access public services with dignity.

Kabanda emphasised that political and technical leadership are complementary rather than competing institutions, warning that poor relations between the two sides ultimately affect service delivery.

“Where political and technical leadership work together with mutual respect and a shared objective, the city benefits. Where they fight, misunderstand one another or interfere improperly in each other’s responsibilities, it is the people of Kampala who ultimately suffer,” she said.

She urged councillors to establish a culture of teamwork, consultation, professionalism and mutual respect from the beginning of their term.

The Lord Mayor of Kampala Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo encouraged the councillors to understand the laws, budgets and institutional mandate governing KCCA, saying informed political leadership is critical to effective oversight and decision-making.

“Be the difference. A councillor who understands the law, the budget and the mandate of KCCA is a councillor who can make a meaningful contribution to the transformation of Kampala,” Balimwezo said.

The Deputy Speaker of KCCA Council, Olive Namazzi, echoed the call for teamwork and respectful engagement among councillors.

She said disagreements in Council are inevitable, but should be handled professionally and with the interests of Kampala residents at the centre of every decision.

“We can disagree in Council, but we have to be respectful. Never at any time sit in that Council and think about ourselves. We must think about our people,” Namazzi said.

She challenged the new councillors to translate council resolutions and policy decisions into tangible improvements on the ground.

“Our people want to see change in the villages. They want results, not promises,” she said.

KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki said the induction programme is part of a deliberate effort to strengthen cooperation between the political and technical arms of the Authority.

She said the programme follows an earlier induction for the Lord Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, City Executive Committee (CEC) members, division mayors and their deputies and division CEC leadership, with induction for division councillors scheduled to follow.

She described the relationship between elected leaders and appointed technical staff as central to KCCA’s ability to deliver its mandate.

“The success of Kampala Capital City will depend on the partnership between the politically elected leaders and us who are appointed to administer the city,” she said.

Buzeki urged all leaders to uphold the highest standards of integrity.

The induction programme is covering KCCA’s legal and governance framework, institutional mandate, planning and budgeting processes, roles and responsibilities of the political and technical leadership, oversight mechanisms and key city priorities.

The programme is expected to give the new councillors a common understanding of their responsibilities and strengthen the working relationship necessary to advance KCCA’s mandate of building a functional, inclusive and well-managed capital city.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali 
Communication and Media Relations Office