Lukwago demands review of Greater Kampala programme

Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has called for a review of the Shs2.2 trillion Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP) to ensure the effective allocation of the budgeted funds.

Addressing a press conference at City Hall on Wednesday, Mr Lukwago argued the budgetary allocations under the pillars of the programme should be revised.

For instance, he said, the Shs100b earmarked for the job creation pillar should be altered so that more markets can be constructed to avail additional trading space for the urban poor.

Under job creation, KCCA has prioritised the construction and redevelopment of three markets of Usafi, Ggaba and Kamwokya.

According to the executive brief dated June 26, 2023, which was shared by Mr Lukwago, Shs33.9b will be spent on the development of Ggaba market, Shs48.3b on Usafi market and Shs17.8b on Kamwokya market.

“Parliament should intervene in this matter. We want the budget for the grey areas in the programme to be revised. On average, if we spent Shs10b on each market, for example, Shs100b would construct 10 markets,” Mr Lukwago said.

“The programme has just been flagged off. It is not too late for Parliament to intervene and take remedial action towards these transactions,” he added.

Under job creation, the programme’s target is to provide about 20,000 new decent workspaces.

According to KCCA, feasibility studies for Kiseka market are also proposed to be done to prepare for its redevelopment.

The prioritised markets are those where KCCA has ownership of land.

Mr Lukwago also wondered why Shs29b has been earmarked for the completion of what he termed as a small lining of the Lubigi primary stormwater channel, yet the Kaludubi channel in Lubaga Division was left out despite the area being vulnerable to flooding.

Under pillar one of the programme (reconstruction /upgrading of the roads), KCCA is targeting a total of 72.06km of roads, including 144km of roadside drains, pedestrian walkways, 1,400 street lights and planting of trees along the upgraded roads.

Mr Lukwago also demanded to know how $18m (about Shs66b), which is part of the $48m grant from the World Bank that was allocated to the Ministry of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs with allegedly no scope of work, will be utilised. He said: “The $18m was allocated to the Ministry of Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, leaving only $30m for the nine entities, which ended up sharing $3.3m each and they (ministry) took $18m, which I have termed as nugatory expenditure.”

The nine entities include KCCA, Kira, Mukono, Nansana, Entebbe and Makindye –Sabagabo municipalities, and Mpigi, Wakiso and Mukono districts.

In response, Ms Minsa Kabanda, the minister for Kampala Capital City Authority and Metropolitan Affairs, said the project funds were approved by the Ministry of Finance backed by Cabinet and passed by Parliament.

“He should not complain. We have to pay salaries, among other services. If he was attending our meetings, he would know how this money is going to be spent,” Ms Kabanda explained.

Mr Daniel Nuwabiine, the KCCA spokesperson, asserted that the costs were technically determined by well-qualified technical personnel and cannot be decided basing on an individual’s opinion.