By Ben Musanje
Leaders aligned to the Opposition at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) have issued a strong warning over alleged illegal recruitment and the existence of ghost workers within the institution, demanding full disclosure of staff records and appointment documentation.
Amon Bagonza Baguma, the LCV Makerere Leader of Opposition and also known as “DPC,” said the group has intensified its investigations into what he described as widespread irregularities in KCCA’s human resource system.
“We are here to follow up on the issue of illegal recruitment into KCCA and ghost workers,” Baguma said, adding that despite formally writing to the Director of Administration and Human Resources requesting a complete list of employees, no response had been received.
He noted that a scheduled follow-up meeting with KCCA’s human resources department had failed to materialize, alleging repeated delays and lack of cooperation from officials.
Baguma argued that the alleged irregularities have led to financial losses and poor service delivery in Kampala, citing Auditor General reports that have previously flagged weaknesses in public sector payroll management.
“Our issue is that a lot of money is lost through illegal recruitment and ghost workers. This is why service delivery suffers, because people occupying offices are not properly vetted or qualified,” he said.
He further announced that the group would escalate its demands on Wednesday, requiring all KCCA employees to present appointment letters and academic qualifications for verification.
“We are putting everyone on alert. On Wednesday, every employee must come with their appointment letter and academic qualifications for the position they hold,” Baguma stated, warning that failure to comply would disrupt operations at KCCA.
He added that individuals without proper documentation should not report to work on the scheduled day, emphasizing what he described as a “final ultimatum” in their anti-corruption drive.
Former Makerere University Guild President Papa Were Salim echoed similar sentiments, describing the initiative as part of a broader struggle against corruption in public institutions.
He said the team intends to cross-check payroll records against verified staff lists to identify discrepancies and recover any misused public funds.
“Once we get the list of employees, we shall compare it with those receiving salaries. Anyone found to have caused financial loss to the institution and the country will be required to account for it,” he said.
The leaders also accused KCCA management of failing to cooperate with their requests, stating that even a planned meeting with the Director had not taken place.
During their engagement, the group held placards accusing various political actors of mismanaging Kampala’s affairs, reflecting growing political tensions surrounding governance at the city authority.
The Opposition leaders maintained that their campaign is aimed at enforcing accountability, proper recruitment procedures, and ensuring that only qualified personnel serve in public offices. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
