Published on 23/07/2025
Parliament’s Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) has ordered KCCA’s Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki to resolve their internal conflicts and present a unified position on the December 2024 Auditor General’s report within five days.
The ultimatum was announced by COSASE Vice Chairperson Allan Mayanja during a meeting with KCCA officials on July 23, 2025. Tensions arose when Lukwago distanced himself from KCCA’s responses to the audit queries, accusing the technical wing of failing to consult him.
Mayanja emphasized the urgency of harmonizing responses to avoid stalling COSASE’s work, stating, “We are behind schedule and urge you to resolve these issues within five days so the committee can proceed.”
Lukwago expressed frustration over not receiving a copy of the Auditor General’s report, noting that the December 27, 2024, letter from the Auditor General’s office to KCCA’s Accounting Officer did not include him.
He argued that this exclusion undermines his role as Lord Mayor and could be grounds for impeachment. “The law mandates me to act, yet I am sidelined in these processes,” Lukwago remarked, also criticizing the February 21 response submitted by the Accounting Officer, which similarly omitted him.
Mayanja, also the Nakaseke Central MP, urged KCCA’s political and technical wings to resolve their differences internally, as the public disputes have repeatedly surfaced in parliamentary meetings. “We want our capital city to progress. The executive director and Lord Mayor must work in harmony,” he said.
Nathan Itungo (Kashari South) questioned why the Auditor General’s office consistently fails to provide the Lord Mayor with copies of reports, describing it as a “historical problem.”
Fred Kayondo (Mukono South) criticized the recurring marginalization of Lukwago, stating, “Sidelining the Lord Mayor has become systemic at KCCA. This must be addressed.”
Abdallah Kiwanuka (Mukono North) expressed frustration with the internal conflicts but maintained that COSASE’s mandate to process the audit report remains unaffected. “The City Authority is a planning and budgeting entity, not an accounting one,” he clarified.
In response, Executive Director Buzeki explained that Lukwago may have confused different reports. She noted that recommendations from the Auditor General are processed by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and discussed in KCCA’s City Executive Committee, involving both technical and political wings. “The report in question is still under PAC review, and our responses address the Auditor General’s queries separately,” Buzeki said.
Lukwago agreed to proceed with the meeting on the condition that he be allowed to critique KCCA’s responses, stating, “If I’m permitted to review the report, I have no issue. Otherwise, I have no role in these processes.”
The ongoing disputes prompted Eddie Kwizera (Bukimbiri County) to move a motion to adjourn the meeting, allowing KCCA leaders time to harmonize their positions. “To avoid a clash of interests, I propose we give the Lord Mayor and his team time to resolve their issues,” Kwizera said. The motion was adopted, and the meeting was adjourned.
The resolution of KCCA’s internal conflicts and the submission of unified responses will be critical to ensuring the timely progression of COSASE’s work and the effective governance of Kampala.
