MPs blame Lukwago, Musisi for brutal city law enforcers

Parliament. The Presidential Affairs Committee of Parliament has blamed the brutality of Kampala city law enforcers on the unresolved friction between executive director Jennifer Musisi and Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The two Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials yesterday appeared before the committee chaired by Adjumani Woman MP Jesca Ababiku (NRM) to explain accusations of cruelty labelled against KCCA law enforcers.

“Your failure to work as a team makes you the contributors to the problems in Kampala,” Ms Ababiku said, and also warned the duo against presenting parallel statements and budget requests.
The Makindye East MP, Mr Ibrahim Kasozi (FDC), described the KCCA law enforcers as “heartless and inhuman civil servants.”
The remarks also prompted Mawogola County MP, Mr Joseph Ssekabiito, to warn that the disunity between Ms Musisis and Mr Lukwago risks failing the efforts of the committee.

“We are here, receiving two reports from one body,” he said.
Like Mr Ssekabiito, Amuria District Woman MP Susan Amero (NRM) also warned that the power struggle between Mr Lukwago, Kampala Authority minister Beti Kamya and Ms Musisi was tearing apart KCCA.
“Whereas the Lord Mayor is meant to oversee legislation, he is also the judge; the executive director is appointed by the President and holds much power; so is the minister,” Ms Amero said.

But Mr Lukwago blamed the high handedness on lack of a proper recruitment framework for the law enforcers.
“We have an enforcement unit that can be described as a militia [because] they are not held for their actions,” he said.
However, in her presentation, Ms Musisi said the Authority inherited the enforcement from the defunct Kampala City Council (KCC), the predecessor of KCCA.

She also said the recruitment is done by the district service commission and not directly by the Authority, and yet the officers are trained by the Uganda Police Force.
She refuted claims of forceful removal which she said always a last resort, and that the arrests are only conducted by police. Ms Musisi instead accused the political wing of KCCA of influencing spontaneous attacks on its officers by what she called hooligans operating in downtown Kampala.
“Some leaders, including political leaders, incite the public against KCCA enforcement staff as they carry out their duties,” she said.
She said several allegations have been made in sections of mainstream media to tarnish the authority’s image.
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