Lukwago demands Shs560m salary arrears

Kampala. Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has asked the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to pay his outstanding salary arrears to the tune of Shs560m.
The money accumulated over a period of 30 months when he was impeached in December 2013 until May this year.
While addressing a press conference in Kampala on Thursday at his office, Mr Lukwago said the arrears are a legal entitlement and that delay to pay him is unfair.
“Government should pay my entitlements because this is a directive by court after I challenged them in court. Justice Lydia Mugambe ruled that I should be paid Shs560m but up to now, I haven’t been paid and this pains me a lot,” he said.
Mr Lukwago said while he was still locked out of office following his botched impeachment, he went through a lot of pain and he therefore asked government to respect the court’s ruling.

“For 30 months, I did not get a single penny of my salary because the President and former Kampala minister, Mr [Frank] Tumwebaze were fighting me. Now that court ruled in my favour, I ought to be compensated because it’s my legal right. I need to do other things other than demanding for my compensation every day,” he said.
The Lord Mayor was entitled to Shs16m as gross salary and Shs2m in allowances, making a gross salary of Shs18m.After tax deductions, his net pay comes to Shs11m.
Mr Lukwago further warned some people whom he said are using the media to fight him, stressing that this won’t stop him from demanding a democratic government.

He was responding to media reports that Gen Salim Saleh, the President’s brother, is allegedly building for him a house worth Shs3b.
“I have never and I will never meet Gen Saleh and the First Family because they want to run the country as a family enterprise. People are using these tabloids so that the public can lose trust in us but I must assure the country that we shall not tolerate to be compromised by Museveni while pursuing the rule of law in our country,” he said.
The KCCA spokesperson, Mr Peter Kaujju, could not be reached for a comment while his deputy, Mr Robert Kalumba, said: “I won’t comment on Lukwago’s issues,” before he hang up.
Mr Lukwago also warned against the amendment of the KCCA Act, saying the Kampala minister, Ms Beti Kamya, is pushing for the amendment of the Act so that it could give her powers as the political head of the city.
The KCCA Bill was tabled before Parliament by Mr Tumwebaze. Mr Lukwago said one of the proposed amendments calls for the position of the Lord Mayor to be ceremonial.
“This is totally unacceptable because they are just targeting me as Lukwago and this is being fuelled by the President through Ms Kamya. What ought to be done is the interpretation of the law since it defines our duties as city leaders,” he said.
Ms Kamya couldn’t be reached for a comment. Ms Kamya, KCCA executive director Jennifer Musisi and Mr Lukwago and all division mayors were supposed to meet the parliamentary committee on Presidential Affairs on Thursday but the meeting was postponed to Tuesday next week.

The background
Battles: Mr Lukwago’s woes stem from a protracted struggle with the KCCA executive director, Ms Jennifer Musisi, over who should manage the city. The latter later secured a court injunction to stop the former from accessing his office.
Inquiry: The government later instituted a commission of inquiry led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire and Mr Lukwago was found guilty of abuse of office, leading to his impeachment. However, he challenged this decision in High Court until Justice Lydia Mugambe ruled in his favour, ordering government to pay him Shs560m as compensation of his salary arrears.

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