By George Bukenya
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Speaker Zahara Luyirika furious as her council was ignore in the 2025/2026 National Budget process that is already at parliamentary level.
While addressing reporter at KCCA office Luyirika said that the people of Kampala shouldn’t expect much regarding social services because council didn’t have any input in the budget yet there’re many things that needs to be fixed in the coming financial year.
Luyirika has put the blame on the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago for refusing his executive to attend council meetings where they should have presented KCCA budget to be debated upon and passed by council meeting before being integrated in the National Budget plan.
“ Lord Mayor Lukwago together with his Executive undermined council and took the KCCA Budget to the Minister of Finance, Planning and Development without our input yet there are issues of social services in the different divisions of Kampala and they are left out,’’ Luyirika lamented.
She added: “ We will not give up because this was the first call circular of the National Budget we still have the 2nd , 3rd and 4th call circulars most probably we shall have an input when time comes like in February next year.’’
Councillor Innocent Tegusulwa (Nakawa) said that he is frustrated not to have an input in the National Budget because his area has a number of issues like poor drainage systems, lack of street lighting and poor roads which need to be fixed which ought to have been reflected in KCCA Budget before being integrated in the National Budget.
“ One of our cardinal roles as council is budgeting and passing the budget plan but the KCCA acting Executive Director told us that the budget was passed and taken to Parliament yet we don’t know what it contains,’’ Tegusulwa said.
He further said that, ‘’ if we don’t have a hand in KCCA Budget it implies that people of Kampala are not represented yet they voted for us to represent their interest such poor drainage systems, roads and garbage management in the city to mention but a few.’’
Tegusulwa also says that the endless wars between Lord Mayor’s Executive and KCCA Council are the cause of such irregularities and he called on the two sides to reconcile and end the unnecessary wars. He said that the wrangles will jeopardize service delivery.
Councillor Rose Kigozi (Rubaga South) said that she is astonished to here that the National Budget was passed without even a single input of any Division requirements.
“ If you ask me what in contained in the National Budget I can’t tell yet I have issues in my area which need to be worked on perhaps in the next financial year.
The Lord Mayor has repeatedly faulted government for not following the law in the National Budget framework saying that many Kampala priority issued in the coming budget have been termed us un funded priorities yet they affect the people of the City.
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