Embattled city lord mayor Erias Lukwago has told President Museveni to stop attributing all the problems in Kampala to him. Lukwago who appeared on 89.2 CBS FM premium Talk show Kiriza oba Gaana said that he cannot and will never be intimidated by President Museveni.
“Museveni should know that he cannot intimidate and bribe everyone. I am ready to sacrifice my life for the betterment of the people of Kampala who overwhelmingly elected me as their Lord Mayor”, Lukwago said.
Lukwago also praised Councilor Frank Kanduho for being bold and courageous to expose the dirty networks going on in KCCA. “I would like to thank Councilor Frank Kanduho who represents the lawyers in KCCA for exposing the corruption in KCCA because there are so many councilors in KCCA who see that colossal sums of money are being swindled but they choose to remain silent” Lukwago continued.
He scoffed at Hon. Frank Tumwebaze and other councilors who worked hard to impeach him because he was exposing the dirty deals in KCCA adding that time will one day catch up with them.
“Several councilors went to statehouse and were given money. Others were secretly meeting in some of the top hotels in Kampala which have exposed to the public” Lukwago revealed.
He also revealed that President Museveni invited councilors to his country home in Rwakitura to bribe them so that they would impeach him. He added that several opposition councilors attended the secret meeting held in Rwakitura including two DP councilors councilor Angella Kigoonya and Allan Munjizi.
Lukwago continued that those who agreed to impeach him received over 3000 chicks and huge sums of money while those who refused didn’t receive anything.
Lukwago also revealed that colossal sums of money are being swindled through corrupt deals. He cited the Usafi market deal which the technical staff in KCCA inflated so that they would swindle the balance.
“Usafi market which is five acres was sold at Shs 37.9 bn, the correct amount should have been Shs 4bn. Owino market which is seven acres was sold at shs 4bn plus the ground rent of Shs 200m which totals up to Shs 4.2 bn. So you can see the massive corruption in KCCA. Lots of project funds are inflated so that money can be swindled” Lukwago noted.
“Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, Jennifer Musisi together with President Museveni they are fighting me because I want accountability in KCCA which they don’t want. Several budgets have been passed ‘mafia style’ to avoid accountability” he stressed.
“In the Katosi road project scam in which Shs 24 billion was swindled Frank Tumwebaze’s name surfaced and he has ignored court summons to answer cases related to the road project scam” he continued.
“And now as a consequence Frank Tumwebaze together with the councilors decided to impeach me, close the Lord Mayor’s office, I don’t receive a salary, all those who were working in the Lord mayor’s office were also terminated, my guards aren’t paid and also the vehicle that I drive, I personally pay for the fuel” Lukwago revealed.
He continues that he has sent so many petitions to Hon. Speaker of Parliament Kadaga to carry out a commission of inquiry but she has never replied them.
“I’m now appealing to the world bank and IMF to carry out a forensic audit in KCCA because money is being swindled” he said.
On the current rift between Ex-prime minister Mbabazi and Museveni, Lukwago urged Mbabazi to boldly come out and openly declare his intentions to stand for the presidency come 2016.
He called on the people of Kampala to unite and avoid being intimidated.
Now President Museveni wants the position of the Lord Mayor to be appointed instead of being an elective post. But if that is the case then there should be a referendum and the people of Kampala should decide for themselves.
He was voted out of office on 25/11/13 by Councillors after a tribunal found him guilty of incompetence and abuse of office but was re-instated on 28/11/13 after the High Court Judge Yasin Nyanzi ordered Kampala Minister Frank Tumwebaze to stop the implementation of the tribunal report that paved way for his censure.
Erias Lukwago had lost the ballot by 29 votes to three
