Efforts by veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye to prevail on the five city Division Mayors to deescalate their hostilities to their boss Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago have so far failed to yield results. We are reliably informed that a very much concerned Besigye has reached out to at least 4 of the five city Division mayors trying to warn them about Kampala Minister Beti Kamya’s unreliability. Besigye, who knows Kamya pretty well having closely worked with her in the founding of FDC and Reform Agenda earlier on, was trying to advise the Mayors that Kamya’s promise to effect devolution of powers and make them more powerful was all but sham. “She is just doing politics and you risk being collateral damage as she cruises her way to top of the political ladder in Mr. Museveni’s scheme of things,” Besigye reportedly told one of the Mayors warning him about Kamya’s machinations. We are told one of the Mayors told Besigye he would think about his advice and get in touch again. Days after, the Mayor sent a message to Besigye’s phone that simply read “Doctor Lekka zabikke.” This means we are ready for battle with Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. The five mayors claim that Lukwago, who actually chaired a well minuted Authority meeting urging the Minister Kamya to finalize devolution with Cabinet, doesn’t want them to be powerful. Devolution is supposed to decentralize some responsibilities to the Divisions which are supposed to have their own votes and be able to have well empowered accounting officers that can make expenditure decisions at that level. The Mayors now believe Beti Kamya is their savior
and she will ensure there is devolution the moment the amendments to the KCCA Act are passed by Parliament. They are now very supportive of the amendments the population believes are aimed at further diminishing Lord Mayor’s powers. They say Erias Lukwago hasn’t done enough to ensure devolution because he is already comfortable with the status quo. Lukwago maintains that the law in its current form is okay and doesn’t have much problem. He believes once the Act is obeyed and complied with there are enough powers for everyone to do the work for which they were elected.The Division Mayors call this betrayal and they argue it shows the Lord Mayor is indifferent about their plight. Consequently many of them have declared hostilities to the extent that they no longer attend Authority meetings at City Hall. It’s that situation that Besigye wished to deescalate but the Mayors were obstinately adamant. One of the Mayors reportedly told him: “Doctor we were elected to work for our people and I rather serve the remaining two years fully powerful than fearing to annoy Lukwago’s crowd so that I return in 2021 to serve for another 5 years as Mayor without any power.” Besigye, who is known to be very cautious on such matters fearing to be misunderstood, opted to let go of the situation because he considers the Mayors political allies just like the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The five Division Mayors, who have lately been cheerfully hosting Minister Beti Kamya in their councils, include Rubaga’s Joyce Sebugwawo, Nakawa’s Ronald Balimwezo, Kampala Central’s Charles Serunjogi, Ronald Balimwezo and Kawempe’s Emmanuel Serunjogi who ironically has (directly & indirectly) been the most outspoken against Lukwago. We are told only one Mayor totally shunned Besigye and the two haven’t so far had any audience on this matter.
