KAMPALA –Kampala Capital City Authority – KCCA officials have requested the parliamentary Presidential Affairs’ Committee to intervene in the proposed Ugx100b budget cut – reasoning that the shortfall would cause inabilities at city hall.
KCCA officials under the leadership of Minister of State for Kampala, Kabuye Kyofatogabye on Friday appeared before the committee to present the budget estimates for the financial year 2023/2024.
According to the proposed Budget Framework Paper, KCCA has an allocation of Ugx403b -a funding reduction compared to the Authority’s Ugx504b.
Minister Kyofatogabye said that whereas the budget allocation for the current financial year was still inadequate for KCCA to effectively meet the service delivery demands in the city, the further reduction of the funds would negatively impact the already constrained operations.
Dorothy Kisaka – the KCCA Executive Director said Authority’s Public Sector Transformation programme had been affected by a Ugx23.21b cut and that this would affect the city legislative function that entails the allowances for councillors at all levels. The KCCA fleet management and purchase of lubricants, enforcement of city legislations and trade order, staff medical insurance cover, security guard services and others would also be affected.
Donny Kitabire – the acting Director Treasury Services revealed that the Integrated Transport Infrastructure and Services programme had a funding gap of Ugx68.5b and will affect the planned de-silting and routine maintenance of the drainage network, repair and maintenance of city street lights, acquisition of right of way for some roads under the Kampala Road Rehabilitation Project -KRRP funded by African Development Bank and others.
Another Ugx8.05b budget cut is reported under the Authority’s Human Capital Development programme and this is to affect the purchase of land for Kasubi Primary School and its refurbishment, construction of a six classroom block at Mpererwe Primary School, fencing Naguru Katali primary school, removal of asbestos and expansion of 24 classrooms at Kololo Senior School and others.
The Agro-Industrialisation programme that is to handle the completion of Phase 2 civil works for Kitintale market in Nakawa Division and other activities has a cut of Ugx6.8b while the Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change and Environment programme is affected by a Ugx2.34 b cut.
Jesca Ababiku – the Presidential Affairs Committee chairperson tasked KCCA officials to present only the key unfunded activities so that they would defend the same before the Budget committee.
Meanwhile, a section of legislators questioned the city authority leadership about the poor road network and drainage system despite the continuous provision appropriation of funds for the same.
Abubaker Kawalya -the Shadow Minister for Kampala cited that potholes were evident on roads in the central business area and in the different divisions of the City.
Tony Awany, the Nwoya County asked the KCCA officials to provide the committee with a list of contractors for different roads to ascertain the costs considering different allegations of cost inflation at the city hall.
Ababiku asked the KCCA officials to present a separate statement on the status of roads in the cities and the money spent on each.
Kisaka explained that the Authority didn’t receive any funding in the first quarter for the current financial year 2022/2023 to handle roads and that the only money received came in the second quarter – on December 27.
But Ababiku insisted that KCCA should first present a schedule of roads and their costs before any other discussion of the matter.
Additional reporting by URN
