The Lord Mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago, has called an emergency meeting with city leaders following the dismissal of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director Dorothy Kisaka and her deputy, David Luyimbazi.
On Tuesday, President Yoweri Museveni dismissed Kisaka, Luyimbazi, and the director of public health, Dr Daniel Okello, in response to the Kiteezi landfill tragedy, which claimed the lives of over 35 people.
The decision was based on a report from the Inspector General of Government (IGG), which linked the disaster to negligence at KCCA. In a statement issued by the Presidential Press Unit, Museveni directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and other law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, focusing on possible criminal negligence.
Speaking at a press conference at City Hall on Wednesday, Lukwago emphasized that the upcoming meeting would focus on addressing the leadership crisis at KCCA. He revealed that invitations had been extended to members of parliament from all Kampala divisions, division mayors, city leaders, and members of the Central Executive Committee.
“The executive director is the accounting officer and the technical advisor in administrative and legal matters concerning the management of the council and other issues,” Lukwago explained.
He further noted that the authority’s operations had come to a standstill, as staff were left in confusion about whom to report to in the absence of a clear leadership structure. Lukwago urged for a transparent and merit-based process to select Kisaka’s replacement, calling for the involvement of the Public Service Commission in the appointment.
Lukwago also proposed amending the law that allows the president to appoint the KCCA executive director, arguing that the current system of headhunting excludes many qualified Ugandans and bypasses established public service guidelines.