Musisi defends Agaba as Lukwago calls for more arrests at KCCA

KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi said embattled Physical Planning Director George Agaba was acting within the law when he and KCCA law enforcement officers tried to evict kiosk owners at Port Bell on Sunday. However Lord Mayor Elias Lukwago said the evictions were illegal.

Kampala

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director, Ms Jennifer Musisi, yesterday came out to defend embattled Physical Planning Director George Agaba over the Port Bell eviction exercise that turned bloody.

Ms Musisi told journalist yesterday at City Hall that although the outcome of the exercise was regrettable, Mr Agaba was acting within the law when he and the city authority law enforcement officers tried to evict Kiosk owners in Port Bell on Sunday.

“The removal of illegal structures from the city has been ongoing for the past four months in a peaceful and orderly manner and is an important component of the KCCA’s obligation to improve service delivery,” Ms Musisi said.

Shooting
One person was killed and three others injured when Constable Santos Komakech Makmot, a policeman deployed to guard Mr Agaba’s home, fired live ammunition indiscriminately into a crowd. Mr Agaba was also seen brandishing the rifle at the scene.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Ms Musisi, however, announced that Mr Agaba has been suspended pending the conclusion of investigations into the incident. However, Ms Musisi yesterday morning resolved to suspend Mr Agaba pending the conclusion of investigations into the shooting incident. “KCCA strongly condemns all acts of violence and incitement to violence whether from staff of the public,” she added. Video footage aired on NTV on Sunday afternoon showed KCCA law enforcement officers physically assaulting locals in Port Bell.

‘Illegal eviction’
But in a separate press briefing also at City Hall, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago accused Ms Musisi of being party to the Port Bell incident. “Ms Musisi approved the use of KCCA facilities to conduct that illegal evictions exercise on a Sunday. Those men in greenT-shirts were employed under mysterious circumstances by Ms Musisi. They are the notorious Kiboko Squad,” Mr Lukwago said.

Emergency meeting
He said he will hold an emergency meeting tomorrow to, among other things, work towards the suspension of all activities of the physical planning department at KCCA. He said the men who participated in the eviction exercise should also be arrested.

“Mr Agaba should never return to KCCA. His activities are suspect. There is a reason why he is demolishing buildings selectively,” Mr Lukwago added. “All these new KCCA directors have never been vetted. We do not know their competence,” Mr Lukwago said.

jnjoroge@ug.nationmedia.com