MPs demand accountability beyond Kisaka’s dismissal in kiteezi landfill tragedy

A section of MPs has voiced mixed reactions following President Museveni’s dismissal of Dorothy Kisaka, former Executive Director of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), and two other top officials.

While some MPs welcomed the move, others questioned why the Kampala Ministers, Minsa Kabanda and Kabuye Kyofatogabye, were spared from dismissal despite their oversight role.

The President’s decision came in response to the Kiteezi Landfill disaster, which claimed 35 lives, with 11 bodies still unaccounted for. The collapse of the landfill, attributed to years of mismanagement, prompted an investigation by the Inspector General of Government (IGG).

Following the findings, the President Invoked Article 172(1)(a) of the Constitution to sack Kisaka, her deputy, Eng. David Luyimbazi, and Director of Public Health Daniel Okello for their roles in the tragedy.

A statement from State House confirmed that the Criminal Investigations Department had been tasked with probing the matter further. The Public Service Commission has been directed to fill the vacant positions within three months.

Reactions from MPs

Muwadda Nkunyingi (Kyadondo East) acknowledged the gravity of the decision but argued it did not absolve the President of responsibility. “This tragedy could have been averted if funds had been released in time. The sacking of Kisaka and her team is not enough; they must be punished, and the government should compensate the victims and apologize to the nation,” Nkunyingi stated.

Kira Municipality MP, Ssemujju Nganda, criticized the move as a political tactic to shift blame, noting that warnings about the landfill’s state had been issued years earlier by the World Bank. “Museveni is simply looking for scapegoats. KCCA’s structure is dysfunctional due to multiple power centers, and the President shares the blame for this chaos,” Ssemujju argued.

Derrick Nyeko (Makindye East) called the dismissal long overdue, highlighting that the landfill issues began as far back as 2004. He added that the delay in taking action allowed the situation to escalate, resulting in the deaths. Nyeko also expressed frustration that the two KCCA ministers were not held accountable. “Kampala’s special status places it directly under their watch. This decision feels more political than administrative.”

Joseph Ssewungu (Kalungu West), on the other hand, expressed doubt that the sackings would resolve KCCA’s deep-rooted issues. He pointed to the chronic underfunding of the authority, arguing that the next team of officials would face the same challenges unless systemic changes are made. “KCCA generates significant revenue for the country, yet it is underfunded. Dismissing officials won’t fix the underlying problem if the government continues to withhold funds.”

Timothy Batuwa (Jinja South West) described the President’s decision as “unfounded” and claimed that the sacked officials were powerless without the necessary financial support. “The President blamed the wrong people. The real issue lies with the Ministry of Finance and the two Kampala ministers who failed to formulate policies on waste management.”