Kampala minister Kamya approves KCCA accountability committee
Ms Kamya
KAMPALA- The Minister for Kampala Affairs, Ms Beti Olive Kamya, has approved a five member Public Accounts Committee (Pac) that was appointed by the Kampala Lord Mayor, Mr Erias Lukwago.
According to Section 58 (9) of the KCCA Act, the Committee shall examine the reports of the Auditor General, Chief Internal Auditor and any reports of commissions of inquiry and may, in relation to the reports, require the attendance of any councillor or officer to explain matter arising from the reports.
In a January 30 2017 letter addressed to Mr Lukwago, Ms Kamya noted that it was the mandate of the authority under section 58 of the KCCA Act to appoint the Pac members.
“…I therefore authorise the authority to proceed with the appointment of the said members to the Pac,” the letter reads in part.
Ms Kamya’s letter is also copied to the Office of the President, the Solicitor General, the Auditor General and the KCCA Executive Director.
The members are; Mr Bob Kabonero, Mr Pontian Kaweesa, Ms Maria Nabbanja Ssentamu, Ms Betty Bainomugisha Ntuhe and Mr Michael Tugyetwena.
They are required to hold serve for five years but can be re-appointed for an extra 5-year term.
Speaking to Daily Monitor on phone last evening, Mr Lukwago said he expects the committee to work in line with his promise of accountability and transparency to the people of Kampala.
“There is a very big backlog because most of the reports from the Auditor General and KCCA’s internal auditor have never been reviewed because the committee did not exist. They will definitely help us execute our duties as elected leaders because we want everything to be done in a transparent manner,” he said.
He added that Pac is the heart of KCCA and that working in its absence contravenes the law.
For the last five years, KCCA has not had PAC since Mr Lukwago was impeached while planning to appoint it.
KCCA deputy spokesperson, Mr Robert Kalumba confirmed the approval of the members and noted that they will immediately commence work.
Although he declined to delve into details of the management of finances at City Hall, he acknowledged the fact that there is a backlog, which he said; the new team must dispose of.
The absence of this committee has previously seen Mr Lukwago and the technical team clash, with the former demanding accountability of money that has been allocated to KCCA over the years.
Since Ms Kamya assumed office, this is her first time to approve a resolution passed by councillors.
He reluctance to approve KCCA council resolutions has angered councillors who have accused her of making them irrelevant before their voters.
Some of the pending resolutions include power sharing between KCCA’s executive director and division mayors, gazetting some roads for street vendors and the payment of Lukwago’s salary arrears among others.
However, Ms Kamya has always scoffed at them, saying that as a minister, she determines what to be implemented or not.
But Mr Bruhan Byaruhanga, the councillor representing Kyambogo University said that by approving the PAC, Ms Kamya is ready to work with KCCA’s political wing.
