The speaker of Kampala Capital City Authority -KCCA Zahra Luyirika Maala, has asked the Authority Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka to fast track the process of paying salary and other benefits to the Speakers and deputy speakers at KCCA and the five divisions of Kampala.
Following the 2020 Amendment of the KCCA Act, offices of the speaker and five-member city executive committees at both City Hall and the five divisions of Kampala were introduced.
KCCA planned for remuneration and facilitation of offices of the Speakers and the executive committees with the Authority Speaker supposed to earn 13.8 million Shillings and their deputy 11 million Shilling monthly. They would also be entitled to a personal assistant, a car and a furnished office among other benefits.
Division Speakers would earn 9.8 million Shillings and their deputies 7.5 million Shillings monthly. The three executive secretaries who join the Lord Mayor and the deputy to form a five-member committee would earn 11 million Shillings monthly while three executive secretaries at the divisions would earn 7.5 million Shillings monthly.
In December 2020, the then Minister for Kampala Betty Amongi approved 7,632,500 Shillings for the authority executive members and 4,925,000 Shillings for division executive members in allowances. However, no approval was made for the speakers’ offices.
During a budget sitting Thursday, the City executive Secretary for Finance and Administration John Mary Ssebuwufu informed council that KCCA has a budget deficit of 10.225 billion Shillings resulting from the increase is the number of councilors from 258 to 464 in the whole of Kampala. He also prayed that section 77 of the KCCA Act be amended to provide for remuneration of speakers and deputy speakers.
It’s at this point that haphazard voices emerged from councilors asking why speakers were not being paid. The speaker, Luyirika hence asked the Executive Director to explain.
In her response, the executive director said that they had been constrained by the law but added that the Minister for Kampala had on 2nd November written to the finance minister to make a pronouncement on the matter. She says government already issued a certificate of financial implication which allows the process to be implemented.
Section 77 of the KCCA Act gives the Minister for Kampala powers to approve additional allowances to members of council. However, when allowances for executive secretaries were approved, those of speakers weren’t, on the understanding that speakers are already paid as councilors. Executive secretaries too are paid councilors but their allowances were approved.
The speaker asked the Executive Director if the said letter addresses itself to both the salary and other benefits including a car and she responded in the affirmative.
The speaker asked that the matter is expedited such that by the end of this November month it is effected.
Kisaka reiterated that they would prefer to provide a better working environment for all political leaders and are committed to fast track the process. The Deputy Speaker Nasur Masaba narrated how one of his voters mocked him upon sighting him riding on a Boda Boda to work.
Jeremiah Keeya Mwanje, the Councilors representing Kasubi said the ED has disproved what the City Executive Committee has long told them that KCCA needs to amend the law to provide for renumeration for Speakers and their Deputies.
Meanwhile, the executive secretary for Finance John Mary Ssebuwufu also asked KCCA to fast track the implementation of the 30 percent salary increment as directed by Kampala Minister in 2017.
The directive was met partially during the 2017/2018 financial year with a 15 percent salary increment and hence Ssebuwufu demanded that the rest is implemented too. The ED committed to fast track the issues agreed upon.
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