Uganda’s parliamentary watchdog has summoned former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director, Jennifer Musisi, to provide answers regarding the unexplained disappearance of two weighbridges that were meant to monitor waste disposal at the Kitezi landfill.
The Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) is probing irregularities flagged in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2011/2012, which revealed that two new weighbridges procured by KCCA had gone missing shortly after acquisition. The equipment was crucial for tracking the weight of waste transported to the landfill, but it was allegedly replaced with non-functional units—significantly weakening oversight of solid waste management.
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During a session before the committee, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago expressed concern over potential repetition of past procurement failures, especially with current efforts to acquire new machinery.
“I’m deeply concerned that history may repeat itself,” Mr Lukwago warned. “We saw two weighbridges disappear under mysterious circumstances in 2011/12, reportedly ending up in Rwanda. We must ensure that the current procurement of tractors and excavators doesn’t fall into similar hands.”
Lukwago also condemned the decision to substitute the original equipment with non-operational ones, stating that it crippled KCCA’s ability to accurately monitor waste volumes at the landfill.
COSASE chairperson Medard Sseggona affirmed the committee’s commitment to pursuing the matter. He said they would summon not only Musisi—who served as KCCA’s chief accounting officer at the time—but also contractors from that period and the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) assigned to the authority.
“If we have to go international, we will consider involving Interpol to trace the missing equipment, believed to have been transported beyond Uganda’s borders,” Mr Sseggona said.
At the time of the procurement, Lord Mayor Lukwago was under suspension pending court proceedings related to allegations of abuse of office.
This probe forms part of Parliament’s broader push to recover public assets lost through questionable procurements and to ensure accountability in city governance.
Jennifer Musisi, who took office as KCCA’s founding Executive Director in April 2011, oversaw a wave of reforms in infrastructure, service delivery, and revenue collection. Her leadership won international praise, but internal friction between political leaders and the technical arm of KCCA, coupled with budget constraints, led to her resignation in late 2018.
Since her departure, Ms Musisi has taken on a global advisory role, serving as the inaugural City Leader in Residence at Harvard University under the Bloomberg-Harvard City Leadership Initiative.
It remains unclear whether Musisi is currently in Uganda to respond to the summons issued by COSASE.
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