Kampala, Uganda: Former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Jennifer Musisi has been summoned by Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) over the mysterious disappearance of two weighbridges from the Kitezi landfill, a procurement flagged in the Auditor General’s 2011/2012 report.
According to the audit findings, KCCA procured two brand-new weighbridges intended to monitor garbage trucks offloading waste at the landfill. However, the equipment allegedly vanished shortly after delivery, with reports suggesting it was illicitly transported to Rwanda. The Authority later replaced the units with non-functional alternatives, rendering its ability to track waste volumes ineffective.
While appearing before the committee, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago described the incident as a classic example of impunity in public procurement, warning that recent acquisitions—such as tractors and excavators—may suffer a similar fate if accountability remains weak.
“Hon. Chairperson, I’m worried that the new procurement of tractors and excavators may again fall into the hands of selfish individuals—just like in 2011/12 when two brand new weighbridges were stolen and reportedly transported to Rwanda by KCCA officials,” Lukwago said.
He condemned the substitution of the stolen weighbridges with dysfunctional gadgets, stressing that it crippled KCCA’s ability to regulate and account for waste management operations at the Kitezi landfill.
COSASE chairperson Medard Sseggona confirmed that the committee is investigating the matter fully and will summon all individuals implicated during the 2011/12 financial year, including Musisi, who was the accounting officer at the time.
“We shall interact with the former accounting officer Jennifer Musisi, the contractors involved, and the CID attached to KCCA. If necessary, we may even involve Interpol to help trace the stolen weighbridges believed to have ended up in Rwanda,” Sseggona said.
At the time the equipment was procured, Lord Mayor Lukwago was serving under interdiction over court charges of alleged abuse of office.
The probe is part of a broader parliamentary inquiry into irregular procurements and the recovery of lost public assets in KCCA’s operations over the last decade.
Musisi, appointed in April 2011 as KCCA’s first Executive Director, presided over far-reaching urban reforms and institutional modernization during her seven-year tenure. She resigned in December 2018 amid internal tensions and persistent clashes with political leaders at City Hall.
Following her resignation, Musisi joined Harvard University as the inaugural City Leader in Residence under the Bloomberg-Harvard City Leadership Initiative, where she continues to advise global cities on governance and sustainability.
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