Speakers from the five divisions of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) are seeking Parliament’s intervention over their remuneration, which they say is poor, delays and lacks a clear legal backing.
While meeting the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga on Tuesday, 09 March 2021, division speakers revealed how they have spent a year without receiving salaries.
“We were elected in March 2020 and since then we have never received a salary yet we have to schedule meetings and receive petitions; in fact several activities are pending,” said Musah Mbaziira, chairperson of the KCCA division speakers.
Mbaziira explained that efforts to get the attention of the Minister for KCCA and Executive Director over delays in salary payment have been futile.
He said his counterparts are equally concerned that the newly amended KCCA Act does not clearly stipulate how their emoluments are determined and their rates due to them.
Kadaga (C) with the division speakers after the meeting
This, according to the speakers has become a matter of contention as none of the authority heads has a way forward.
“We talked to the Minister who told us that the Solicitor General advised that emoluments of division speakers are not provided for within the KCCA Act and that the law needs to be amended” said George Mutumba, speaker Makindye Division.
Section 77 of the KCCA Amendment Act 2020, gives the minister responsible for KCCA in consultation with the Finance minister and the Minister for Public Service the mandate to determine the remuneration of city hall speakers and councillors but doesn’t mention the emoluments of division speakers.
Parliament’s Director for Legislation and Procedural Services, Suzan Katono advised that since division speakers are drawn from councillors, KCCA minister would still operate under the law to determine the emoluments of the speakers.
“This issue could still be handled under the existing law since speakers are selected from councillors but let the House committee on Presidential Affairs discuss it further with the responsible ministers,” said Katono.
Kadaga assured division speakers that Parliament will give audience to their plight during consideration of ministerial policy statements, which she said commences in two weeks.
“We have agreed to cause a meeting with the KCCA and Finance ministers so that we make a resolution that would cause additional amendments in the KCCA Act,” said Kadaga.
