By Mulengera Reporters
Jennifer Musisi has written to the President resigning her job as KCCA ED, a post she held (as pioneer) since 2011. Whereas this will surprise many people, those in the know won’t be that much surprised. Why? Since the Museveni defeat in 2016 in Kampala by Kizza Besigye & Erias Lukwago, things have never been the same for Musisi whose often exaggerated performance was initially expected to enable Museveni’s NRM to defeat the opposition in Kampala. Why do we say her performance was merely exaggerated and not extra-ordinary? She had alot of budget suppport and the Museveni State House political good will which her predecessors at City Hall (Nasser Sebaggala, Sebaana Kizito, Ruth Kijjambu, James Segane, Gordon Tumwesigye etc) lacked. In the pre-Musisi era, the KCCA annual budget averaged at Shs45bn for an entire Financial Year. In the Musisi era, Museveni (who was desperate to justify his decision to reduce elected leaders’ powers & put Musisi’ predecessors to shame simply because they were his political opponents) ensured the KCCA budget grew to the extent that the city roads sub sector alone had an average of Shs45bn per FY. Musisi’ budget averaged at Shs200bn which almost is the amount her predecessors had for an entire five year period. “With that type of funding Musisi didn’t have to be an extra-ordinary performer to deliver roads here and there and generally transform the city’s infrastructure outlook,” says one of the analysts we interacted with a short while ago after news of her resignation came through. “Just imagine her predecessors had an average of Shs45bn to remove garbage, light the city, pay salaries, work on the roads etc etc. In her case that was just for one item roads.” Politically she had all the well demonstrated support of the President and a characteristically docile Parliament that often allowed her get away with it. Museveni often went out and publicly praised her including telling a public rally downtown Kampala that if he had only 8 Musisis (he likened her to an Angel) the country (and not just Kampala) would be very far. Such solidarity statements were very important as they emboldened her and scared off her would-be foes except Boda 2010′ Abdul Kitata who continued standing up to her because he had IGP Kayihura’s backing. For standing up to Musisi, Erias Lukwago (right as he was sometimes) had to be politically crashed using an enthusiastic Kampala Minister and a highly subservient Council at KCCA.
M7 DENOUNCES MUSISI;
But Musisi was to later become unhappy especially after 2016 polls. Museveni went to the same downtown and blamed his political defeat on Musisi’ iron-fisted approach that left many poor people more disempowered. The President’s comments made Musisi very aggrieved and had declined contract renewal months later. Museveni forestalled that by telling her he wouldn’t accept her resignation. A group of Balokole elders spoke to Musisi who reluctantly accepted to stay on. She was terribly wounded that Museveni, for whom dhe risked, was so ungrateful. She was supposed to have some form of interview as part of the process to ratify her reappointment. Public Service Commission was to conduct the interview. Musisi appeared and told them “gentlemen I will work just not to embarrass the President but I’m not ready for a rigorous interview.” Since State House had asked them to help out, the PSC bosses found some way to ratify Mysisi’ reappointment. But she was now much weakened than ever before especially that Lukwago, who she spent time and money demistifying, was returned to City Hall in a People Power way with even more votes which was an indictment to her iron-fisted policies which Bobi Wine profiled in his succesful hit “Tugambire ku Jennifer.” Public Service Commission made Musisi even more frustrated when it raised a red flag protesting the manner in which some of her favorite assistants had ascended office without requisite qualifications. Robert Kalumba was decisively trimmed when PSC objected to his appointment & remuneration for the post of deputizing Communications Head Peter Kauju. The PSC concern was that Kalumba lacked the class of bachelor’s degree that is admissible for recruitment in Public Service. Musisi resorted to retaining the ill-fated Mr. Kalumba on short term basis (three months contracts to be paid locally). To those who previously took her powers to be beyond questionable, this amounted to decisively trimming the wings of the highly paid ED from Kiteezi.
REACHING OUT TO LUKWAGO;
There were efforts and restraint as well as concessions on both sides to ensure Musisi works well with Lukwago this time around. Deputy ED Judith Tukahirwa worked hard to ensure this works out but the honey moon didn’t last. Musisi seemed to have learnt some lessons as well as Erias Lukwago. There was nervousness in Musisi’ camp that antagonism with Lukwago was costly because it terribly hurt revenue collection and subsequently service delicery in the city. Why? Lukwago seemed to be the one tax-paying Kampalans listened to more. Things seemed to normalize between the two only to become gradually complicated when Beti Kamya became Kampala Minister. She didn’t get on well with Musisi who she considered insurbordinate and big-headed. Kamya became the refuge for all disgrublted KCCA insiders. They would write to her reporting Musisi’ excesses.
KAMYA IN STATE H’SE;
Kamya gained more clout when she seemed to have more access to Museveni than the post-2016 Musisi. In one of the meetings, Kamya criticized Musisi in State House and the First Lady, who was always thought to be Musisi’ patron, never rose to her defense even when she was in the meeting. This Janet indifference continued manifesting subsequently when Musisi, who used to be like one of flower girls at State House & First Family functions, would sometimes not be invited at all. It was even more demoralizing that Allen Kagina, who was her friend and mentor, was also rapidly cracking at UNRA where she serves as ED to the extent that the BoD led by men one would ordinarily take to be feeble almost dismiseed her on grounds of under performance. Museveni had to intervene to save Kagina the disgraceful exit similar to what befell Jolly Kaguhangire at UIA.
BACK TO MUSISI;
At City Hall, Musisi gradually got demistified when technocrats, who used to take her word to be infallible, began to oppose her openly in meetings. Some protested by resigning to show disgust with her management style especially after the departure her very able Deputy Judith Tukahirwa. Her departure pained even Erias Lukwago of all people! Some workers took Musisi to court and were awarded money in billions. This only worsened the financial situation in KCCA many of whose bank accounts had already been ganished by creditors. At some point, KCCA cash had to be hidden on URA bank accounts to shield it against ganishment orders. The polarisis at City Hall also hurt revenue collection at a time the Central government allocation was also diminishing to enable State House teams reach out to the poor ghettoes more directly. The revenue collection monthly performance has most of the time averaged at 45% of the set targets. All these combined to greatly weaken Musisi who at the peak of her power had the guts to step on the mighty like IGP Gen Kale Kayihura who she one time reported to the President in a meeting Gen Kale was present at. She was protesting KMP Police leaders’ decision to ask her for money to contribute towards city pacification operations such as the violent eviction of poor street vendors.
