Speaker Zaharah Luyirika addressing Reporters at her office
By George Bukenya
Kampala Capital City Authority Speaker Ms Zaharah Luyirika task the Authority’s Executive Director (ED) Ms Sharifah Buzeki to explain why she under mined council in the lease sale of the five plots of land in the City.
She was given one month by council to produce a report on five KCCA plots of land she wants to lease to the different people for development which council considers being a fraudulent act since there was no legal backing and council didn’t pass any resolution allowing for the sale of the said land in question
The Authority speaker told reporters at her office just after the council meeting, that she learnt about the process of giveaway KCCA land on lease via media and she moved swiftly by writing to the speaker of parliament to halt the sale. Ms Buzeki had presented her request to be allowed to lease the five plots of land since they were not being utilized by the Authority.
The Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon.Thomas Tayebwa who chair the session ignored Luyirika’s plea and went ahead to allow members of parliament to debate about the sale of the said plots of land.
Mr. Tayebwa is alleged to be one of the buyers to whom KCCA gave the offer something Luyikika and the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago says contravenes the law the mere fact that the deputy speaker presided over parliament when the offer was being debated upon citing conflict of interest
Luyirika said that such transaction if it occurs will be null and void because the legal measures were not followed properly.
“ The Executive Director had to seek guidance from council but she under mined us yet the is clear on such matters. We have instructed ED to present a report within one month about the five plots of land and the intending buyers,’’ Ms Luyirika explained.
The Director Buzeki said that the law mandates the Authority to lease any plot of land that it’s not using. She admitted that part of the law wasn’t followed after being advised by the Solicitor General saying that the lease process should be revised.
Although the process has been ongoing for the period of 4 years, the Solicitor General said that section 32 of the Public Finance Management Act was not followed. This section requires that the Authority should seek parliamentary approval and the Authority’s council contracts committee to pass a resolution through meeting minute attached.
Then the Executive should go back to Solicitor General after all necessary steps are followed for further guidance.
She further said that KCCA can dispose off any of its properties when such can’t be maintained or can also lease land which is not say spacious enough to be used for a school or health centre and no income is earned by the Authority from it.