"I Have Failed To Make People Of Kampala Responsible" - Says Ssebaggala

The Outgoing Mayor of Kampala City, Nasser Ntege Ssebagala says he has failed to inculcate a spirit of responsibility into residents of Kampala to protect the infrastructure and even contribute towards its wellbeing.

Speaking during an interview with URN at his home in Bugolobi, Sebaggala acknowledged that in his five year-term as mayor, he has tried to change the attitude of people in Kampala to realize that Kampala is their city and not Ssebagala or President Museveni’s city, but failed.

Ssebaggala says as a result people vandalise city infrastructure like manhole covers, street lights and break hedges on Islands on which council has spent public resources.

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Nasser Ntege Ssebaggala explained that it’s only in Kampala where someone will throw a water bottle out of a Benz into the middle of the road.

According to Ssebaggala, 85 percent of KCC’s budget is funded by the Central government yet they expect to get services. This is contrasted with London where 95 percent of the city’s revenue is from the public.

When asked about what legacy he is leaving at City hall, Ssebaggala said he had banned demonstrations from the Central Business District where people have their investments.

Ssebaggala, who campaigned for President Yoweri Museveni in the last elections says he has sold an idea of setting up a Metropolitan planning unit to government which has been embraced.

He added that he had successfully sold an idea to government to build satellite cities at Mbalala on Jinja road, at Matugga on Bombo road, at Nakirebe on Masaka road, at Kalagi on Gayaza road, and Buloba on Mityana road to create zones.

According to Ssebaggala these cities should be linked with a road and railway network to divert traffic and decongest the city centre.

Ssebaggala describes himself as the last Kampala City Mayor with authority and explains that the Lord Mayor would have a challenge to run the city because he has no authority, money or even the councilors to help him implement his ideas.

Ssebaggala bragged that he had single-handedly campaigned for over 85 percent of councilors in council and had four division chairmen, which helped his ideas sail through.  Ssebaggala explained that this helped him neutralize the likes of Godfrey Nyakaana who tried to fight him, but wondered how the new Lord Mayor would manage without a single councilor he brought to council or division chairman. 

According to Ssebaggala the Lord Mayor can only monitor instead of supervising council activities, and cannot stop any activity that he sees going wrong.

Ssebaggala advises the new Lord Mayor to accept a situation where he can let go of something to gain other things other than being confrontational.

He says that if Erias Lukwago fails to work with all the councilors who are on the opposite side and he fails to come up with a Deputy Mayor within six months council will be dissolved and new elections called.

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According to Ssebaggala working with others is good because the issue of property rates had been politicised, but that he had managed to convince the President to allow people in the areas of Nakasero, Kololo, Muyenga and Bugolobi pay property rates.

Sebaggala explains that working with others, through his experiences of doing different jobs including vending, hawking and as a businessman has helped him understand the aspiration of all levels of people which has helped him work as Mayor for the last five years.

Ssebaggala advises the people of Kampala to stop demanding for services for which they do not want to pay.

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Ssebaggala says though he has not run for any elective post he is bouncing back with a post at national level.