NEWS EDITOR
EMBATTLED Moses Kanuniira Atwine yesterday wrote to top managers at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), indicating that he, would not renew his contract as Director Physical Planning.
In his leaked letter titled, ‘End of my local contract as Director Physical Planning’, Mr. Atwine wrote, “I am very pleased and delighted to salute you all as I conclude my tour of duty.”
He was appointed by President Museveni as the Director Physical Planning at KCCA on May 10th 2017, a position he has held on contract for 3 years.
Every one would expect Atwine to renew his contract, not to throw in the towel like he has done! What has caused this? We will come back to this later!
Atwine was part of the transformation team since 2012 and has raised through the ranks beginning as Manager, then Deputy Director, Acting Director Physical Planning at KCCA to substantive Director Physical Planning.
The Directorate of Physical Planning Atwine has resigned is one of the ten Directorates at KCCA.
Others are; Treasury Services, Engineering and Technical Services, Public Health Services and Environment, Education and Social Services, Legal Affairs, Revenue Collection, Internal Audit , Gender Community Services, Production Directorate and Office of the Executive Director.
The Physical Planning Directorate is responsible for planning, designing and managing City Physical infrastructure including zoning, land sub-division and demarcating areas for development.
This Directorate guides the Authority on the urban design, infrastructural improvement and land development in the City.
The Directorate also cooperates with adjoining districts, municipalities or town authorities such as Kira, Mukono and Wakiso to ensure coherent policies across administrative boundaries.
BACK TO ATWINE’S RESIGNATION: FIGHTING ENG. KITAKA
Insiders say, Atwine’s resignation is highly connected to the disappointment his people got, when President Museveni rejected him for KCCA top job and instead identified Madam Dorothy Kisaka, the new Executive Director.
“They fought Acting ED Eng. Andrew Mubiru Kitaka, plotting against him not to be named substantive Executive Director. These people wanted it for their man. Now the bid is lost, no wonder, Atwine had to leave.” Quoted source.
Insiders say, his supporters made it hard for Acting ED Eng. Andrew Mubiru Kitaka to steer KCCA, frustrating him, thinking, the president will appoint their man, for the top job of Executive Director.
It’s believed, this clique used their State House connections and were heard everywhere telling whoever cared to listen how Kitaka was to handover ED office to Atwine.
However, they were shocked when President Museveni recommended a ‘Born Again’ lady, Madam Dorothy Kisaka for this juicy job, not their man Moses Kunaniira Atwine.
It is suspected that, on learning that the battle is lost, a disappointed Atwine considered leaving KCCA for other assignments.
‘FAKE’ ACADEMIC PAPERS
Last year, Justice Ralph Ochan, Chairperson The Public Service Commission, a body mandated to recruit all civil servants in the country, admitted that Moses Atwine was illegally recruited as the Director in charge of Physical Planning at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
He was appearing before Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises chaired by Kawempe South legislator Mubarak Munyagwa.
On July 2nd 2019, Mr. Moses Atwine had appeared before COSASE to defend his academic papers.
Atwine sweated plasma in Parliament when COSASE committee members grilled him on how he got a job in KCCA yet his academic documents were not adding up.
He laboured to convince the legislators that he was identified by the President.
By the time Parliament exposed Atwine, he was positioning himself as the best candidate for Executive Director’s job after the post fell vacant on the resignation of KCCA iron lady Jennifer Ssemakula Musisi.
Because the Public service commission assured Parliament that no contract will be renewed without taking back all KCCA staff for thorough interviews, this might have caused Atwine to leave before he is exposed more.
ATWINE’S LETTER TO KCCA MANAGERS IN DETAIL
Dear All, Greetings,
I am very pleased and delighted to salute you all as I conclude my ‘tour of duty’ as Director Physical Planning at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) which has been running for the past three (3) years.
Prior to the above 3-year contract, I was privileged to be part of the transformation team at KCCA for another four and a half (4.5) years; i.e. from December 2012 till June 2017.
I wish to express my profound gratitude to H.E The President of the Republic of Uganda for the confidence and trust conferred unto me to serve in his government through KCCA during this period of transformation. Prior to joining KCCA in 2012, I worked in several other reputable organizations, including Makerere University-Kampala and a number of USAID funded projects. While at Makerere University, I was teaching in the (then) Department of Urban and Regional Planning for close to seven years [2001-2007].
During this teaching period, I taught and supervised a number of planning students’ studio workshops and terminal research projects all focusing on various cosmopolitan urban planning themes. Fortunately, the current stock of 15 physical planners at KCCA, 13 of them were my former University students, whom I have had the privilege of working with as colleagues.
During my tour of duty at KCCA City Hall for the past 7.5 years in total, I have been privileged to oversee and spearhead a number of projects and sector reforms within KCCA especially those provided for in KCCA’s Strategic Plan, the Kampala Institutional & Infrastructure Development Project (KIIDP-II) as well as the Kampala Physical Development Plan (KPDP) 2013.
During this same period, I have learnt quite a lot (not without challenges) in dealing with a number of routine cosmopolitan issues, which are not only characteristic of Kampala Capital City.
As a team leader, I have mentored and guided staff under my supervision to the best of my ability in the period under review. Achievements include supporting staff development in pursuance of further studies where some have attained scholarships on merit, professional registration as Planners, Architects, Engineers, Surveyors and some Lawyers. This gives me personal satisfaction that I have contributed to the career betterment of these individuals without putting my knee on their neck.
Relatedly, I have been closely working with the Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development in support of the new Land Information System managed by Ministerial Zonal office (MZO) housed at KCCA. My effort has been dedicated to fast-tracking and streamlining the available services relating to land administration and registration transactions, which include; land titling, land transfers, mortgage registration, caveat lodging, land sub-divisions, amalgamation, fresh leases, lease extensions, to mention but a few.
For the record, I have been working diligently in safeguarding KCCA as an institution from any nugatory liabilities that could arise from any physical planning related litigation cases. I have personally attended court sessions as a state witness in defense of the Authority in some of the litigious cases against KCCA.
I have successfully participated in a number of technical meetings organized by Government of Uganda and the respective MDAs with a view to addressing or/and implementing a number of policy issues ranging from cabinet decisions, inter-agency mandates, government programs and other statutory compliance issues.
In conclusion, I wish to thank the Government of Uganda and all development partners (both local & international) who have supported KCCA thus far in its endeavor to improve its effectiveness in service delivery. With their unwavering support, Government (through KCCA) has made great strides in improving the city’s socio-economic transformation agenda in a number of areas in the past 9 years.
Whereas the list may be long, I wish to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to the following development partners; especially, the World Bank, African Development Bank (ADB), USAID, EU, JICA, KOICA, GIZ, AFD, DFID, ESRI, Bill & Melinda Gates, the Indian Women Association, to mention but a few. I have personally cherished the esteemed partnership and the continued development support they extend to KCCA through the Government of Uganda.
In a special way, I wish to appreciate our political leaders, the Hon. Ministers for Kampala Capital City Authority & Metropolitan Affairs (past and present), the Lord Mayor, the Hon. Councilors, for their cooperation and support during my tenure. I wish to pledge my continued commitment to further maintain the cordial working relationship (in my next assignment/ deployment) as we continue building our country.
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