Parliament’s committee on National Economy has expressed its discontent with the decision of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to allocate a Shs12 billion roads loan towards staff capacity enhancement, retooling, and community mobilization.
During a session on Tuesday, officials from various authorities within the Kampala Metropolitan Area appeared before the committee, chaired by John Bosco Ikojo. Concerns were raised about the consistent allocation of borrowed funds for purposes unrelated to road development, prompting calls for a review of KCCA’s financial decisions.
The program for nine local governments in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (KMP), including Kira, Mukono, Nansana, Entebbe, Makindye-Ssabagabo, Wakiso, and Mpigi, outlines the allocation of US$608.66 million for urban development, focusing on roads, drainages, and urban planning services, among others.
However, the allocation for KMP’s US$130 million includes significant portions dedicated to non-road-related activities. These include over Shs800 million for retooling, Shs400 million for community mobilization, Shs920 million for staff capacity building, Shs300 million for a citizens satisfaction survey, Shs750 million for governance initiatives (such as setting up a KCCA legal library, project oversight by the council, procuring a Hansard for the authority), and Shs250 million for grievance management, among other purposes.
Members of Parliament criticized KCCA’s decision, questioning the appropriateness of diverting funds intended for road development towards capacity building and training.
In response, the KCCA Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka, defended the move, emphasizing the importance of enhancing staff capacity to improve the authority’s performance and secure additional road projects and funding. She clarified that they are not diverting funds from road maintenance to capacity building, but rather aiming to strengthen the entity’s workforce to ensure better outcomes for the loans received.
She also stressed the need for competent staff to facilitate the effective execution of road projects and ultimately improve the overall performance of the authority.
