The Parliament’s Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) has summoned the top leadership of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), led by Lord Mayor, Elias Lukwago to explain why the Council has failed to operationalize the 2019 Outdoor Advertising Ordinance that would mandate KCCA to collect revenue from billboards around the city.
“Is it your duty to pass ordinances, is it an audit query? And do you agree with me that this isn’t the first time it is raised? Do you also agree with me that there is a court ruling which made us lose money? How will you explain it? For that reason, the standard practice is going to be, when you come here, to account, we want your political leadership. I will not be prejudiced by what I hear and know regarding the politics at KCCA, but here everybody must come here and carry their cross,” noted Medard Lubega, Chairperson COSASE.
Dorothy Kisaka, Executive Director-KCCA however said that it is not her duty to invite Lukwago and his Council to Parliament meetings because the practice has been for the technical and political wings of KCCA to receive separate invitation letters to Parliament.
“The practice has been that we receive an invitation which is addressed to the Executive Director and the Executive Director comes with the senior management team to Parliament. We haven’t received an invitation to the political side, usually, they receive their own invitation and it isn’t the Executive Director who invites them, but if there is an invitation, we have no objection whatsoever” said Kisaka
This followed the failure by the political leadership of KCCA, to attend a meeting called by COSASE for the Authority to respond to several audit queries raised in the December 2023 Audit report, yet there were queries faulting the Authority for putting in place advertising ordinance that would enable KCCA to collect revenue from outdoor advertising.
National Outdoor Advertising and Contractors Association Ltd dragged KCCA to court protesting the decision by KCCA to impose advertising rates on their business, describing the practice as illegal, irrational, and unlawful and also asked the Court to force KCCA to refund Shs13.226Bn collected from advertisers since 2011.
Court ruled in favour of the advertisers & in December 2020, Shs8.228Bn was formally proved in court as decretal, Shs2.653Bn as taxed costs and interest thus bringing total to Shs10.882Bn and since April 2020, KCCA hasn’t collected revenue from advertisers in the city.
