Ignore council and submit budget, Kitaka told

Ms Beti Kamya

Kampala- The Minister of Kampala Affairs, Ms Beti Kamya, has directed the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) acting executive director, Mr Andrew Kitaka, to ignore a council decision and present the 2020/2021 budget directly to the Minister of Finance.
“I, therefore, invoke my powers and direct you to prepare and submit the KCCA budget framework to the Minister of Finance,” Ms Kamya wrote to Mr Kitaka on November 15.

The development comes after a council meeting chaired by Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago last Friday barred Mr Kitaka and his deputy Samuel Sserunkuuma from presenting the budget because their acting tenures expired in May.

Ms Kamya said Mr Kitaka is a duly appointed KCCA accounting officer as per the communication from the Finance ministry.
Ms Kamya said the deadline given to all accounting officers to present budgets elapsed last Friday.

“In light of the fact there was an impasse and the authority failed to consider and approve the budget estimates for 2020/2021, since this is the first budget call circular, once the matter of appointment of the executive director which caused the impasse is resolved, the subsequent budget call which indicates an updated allocation will be discussed and presented,” Ms Kamya stated.

Kitaka’s focus
Mr Kitaka told Daily Monitor yesterday that not being confirmed as executive director does not mean the city should be at a standstill because of politics.

“We are also working on relocating Kasubi traders next week, improvement of 67km of roads under World Bank, changing the face of the city. That is my focus,” Mr Kitaka said.

He also said KCCA is in final stages of a new five-year strategic plan and the draft has been presented to the Lord Mayor and division mayors but completion is delayed because phase II of the National Development Plan is still ongoing.
Mr Peter Kaujju, the KCCA spokesperson, dismissed reports that there is a crisis at City Hall for lack of a substantive executive director.

Mr Kaujju said in January, the Finance Permanent Secretary appointed Mr Kitaka as KCCA accounting officer.
“We have already submitted the soft copy of the budget and we will file the hard copy in the coming hours but there will be an opportunity to scrutinize the budget in the second circular call,” Mr Kaujju said.

“In accordance with the Public Finance Management Act, you are hereby appointed as the accounting officer for vote 122 with effect from December 2018,” Mr Patrick Ocailap wrote to Mr Kitaka on January 15.

The appointment requires him to file performance reports, maintain a sound financial management system, managing and controlling expenditures, paying for all received goods and services, among other duties.

“As accounting officer, you are liable to Parliament directly for financial administration of money which may be vetted by Parliament,” Mr Ocailap added.