KCCA withdraws Lukwago benefits

FDC president Mugisha Muntu (in neck tie), UPC leader Olara Otunnu (2ndR) and other opposition politicians talk to impeached Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago (R) at Mukwaya General Clinic in Nsambya yesterday. Mr Lukwago has been bedridden since Friday but said he was getting better. Photo by Faiswal Kasirye. 

By Dear Jeanne

In Summary

Benefits, that include an official car, security personnel, escort car, office at the City Hall, salary and allowances as well as medical insurance were withdrawn following Lukwago’s impeachment on Monday.

Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has withdrawn all benefits of the impeached Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.

The benefits, which include an official car, security personnel, escort car, office at the City Hall, salary and allowances as well as medical insurance were withdrawn following the contested Monday impeachment.

KCCA spokesperson Peter Kaujju said yesterday that Mr Lukwago ceased being part of the Authority and is thus not entitled to any benefits from them.

“When you are chased from an office, you have to leave everything and every benefit behind. The office and everything else ceased being Mr Lukwago’s when he was impeached,” Mr Kaujju said.

The impeached lord mayor, who is still in hospital where he was admitted last Friday, will now likely have to pay part of his medical bills since his medical insurance was halted on Monday at 9:30am.

“The medical insurance was for the lord mayor so it will cater for medical expenses accrued until when he stopped being the lord mayor,” Mr Kaujju said.

However, unlike the norm that individuals are given time to retrieve their personal property when they have been ousted from an office, the Lord Mayor’s offices were immediately locked by KCCA management after the council meeting.

On Monday afternoon, the Lord Mayor’s support staff was blocked from accessing the offices.

While KCCA has withdrawn the official Lord Mayor’s car, the Daily Monitor has learnt that it was yet to be picked from Mr Lukwago’s premises.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Kampala, Mr Frank Tumwebaze and the Clerk to Council, Mr Reuben Kamoga have both sent communication to the Electoral Commission (EC) indicating that the position of Lord Mayor of Kampala is vacant, EC sources who asked not to be named said yesterday.

“Immediately we receive a notification from the clerk to council on a vacant position, we are mandated by law to draw a budget and schedule the filling of the position accordingly unless there is a court order stopping us,” Mr Eric Sabiti, a legal officer at EC, said separately