Kampala- City Executive Director Jennifer Musisi last evening announced that KCCA will be shut down today, following yesterday’s events after the High Court granted ousted Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago a lifeline in office.
Mr Lukwago later announced he will return to office this morning, and is expected to be accompanied by several opposition political leaders.
But at a hastily convened press conference at 6.30 pm, Ms Musisi, who heads the technical wing, said:“Already, since the decision of the learned judge earlier today, there have been efforts to mobilise the public to invade City Hall, supposedly to re-instate Erias Lukwago into office. Obviously this poses a serious risk to the staff and property of the authority that I am empowered to protect and safeguard”.
She added: “Unless the safety of our staff and government property under our custody is assured, it’s difficult for our operations as the implementing arm of KCCA to continue blindly in the face of these increasing threats. Consequently, we are shutting down the technical operations of the authority until further notice,” Ms Musisi told a press conference at City hall.
She said the decision had been taken after threats to road sweepers, and registered cases of assault against the city authorities enforcement officers, and building inspectors – all at after incitement of political protagonists.
It is not clear when the KCCA operations will resume but the decision by Ms Musisi is bound to create a major problem in the city with lack of services. It is also bound to be interpreted as a veiled snub to Mr Lukwago’s triumphant entry into city hall tomorrow.
The decision means that nobody will be allowed to access City hall, there will be no work carried out by the workers like sweepers, revenue collection and garbage collection.
