The Speaker of Parliament Anitah Among in collaboration with top officials from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has resolved a year-long payment of the city’s demonstrating casual laborers.
“In a meeting I held this afternoon with (KCCA) leadership, including Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka and Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, we successfully resolved the year-long payment impasse of the city’s casual laborers. I’m pleased that through collaborative effort, we have been able to address this longstanding issue affecting the casual workers,” Among said.
Last week a section of the laborers stormed Parliament in protest of their unpaid salaries by KCCA and some of the workers claimed that they have been demanding payment for the past 45 months but all in vain.
Speaker Among calmed down the angry and hungry laborers and tasked KCCA leadership to ensure that they are paid, noting that delaying to pay them is contrary to Article 40(1) of the Constitution which provides for equal payment for equal work without discrimination.
Demonstrators expressed frustration over their low salaries, which are insufficient to cover basic needs such as rent and education for their children.
The workers earlier petitioned parliament and called on KCCA to expedite the settlement of their outstanding payments or face legal action. They alleged that despite efforts to engage with relevant authorities, including Parliament and the Minister for Kampala, their grievances remain unaddressed.
The Auditor General’s report for the Financial Year 2021/22 highlighted governance conflicts between the Lord Mayor and KCCA’s technical wing, further complicating matters. However, Kisaka has previously assured that efforts are underway to ensure timely payments to casual workers in the future, attributing the delays to financial constraints.
