Africa-Press – Uganda. Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has called for an inquiry into the alleged mismanagement of funds meant for the construction of city roads.
Mr Lukwago said the core challenge is inflating the cost of construction of some roads.
“Madam Speaker and honourable members, we presented some quarterly reports on this and we need to interrogate some of these issues. I am not satisfied with the costing of these roads.
Lukuli –Nanganda [road], for example, is just 8km but it cost roughly Shs80b,” Mr Lukwago said during a special Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) council sitting yesterday.
“We need to investigate this, it is important so that we get value for money,” he added.
In a related development, the Lord Mayor called for the renaming of some of the city roads after prominent personalities such as the Kabaka.
Mr Lukwago revealed that KCCA has named more than 3,603 roads, with many of them having little significance, which needs to be revisited.
“If we don’t have the road named after his majesty the Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi in the central business district… I think it is unacceptable and an insult to the people of Buganda,” Mr Lugwago said.
He said the city executive will soon table a compressive report on road renaming in the city, hoping that the roads are renamed after prominent local personalities.
Mr Lukwago said the previous council had started the process of renaming the city roads after local personalities but the exercise was halted.
“We are confident that our legislative agenda this term will have this ordinance in place,” he said.
He also said they intend to construct statues of the first prime minister of Uganda Ben Kiwanuka and Church of Uganda Archbishop Janan Luwum on Ben Kiwanuka and Luwum streets respectively, adding that they will also erect a statue of Ssekabaka Muteesa1 at Usafi-Nakivubo Blue Mengo hill junction.
In 2019, lawyer Apollo Makubuya made a scholarly presentation to KCCA, in which he pointed out the odious character of some of the people, foreign and local, after whom some of the roads are named.
To that effect, he started an online petition urging the government to rename public spaces, specifically roads, that honour colonial-era administrators and British royalty.
At yesterday’s council sitting, Mr Lukwago launched the first ever Luganda version of the Uganda Constitution.
He said this version will help the people to read, understand and interpret Ugandan laws.
Reacting to Mr Lukwago’s remarks, the Minister for Kampala, Ms Minsa Kabanda, promised to offer support where necessary.
“I agree that these issues raised by the Lord Mayor are true and they need urgent attention. I commend him for that and we shall support you as leaders,” Ms Kabanda said.
The minister also called upon the KCCA leaders to stop lamenting and instead work for their people regardless of their political affiliations.
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