Kampala members of parliament have forced parliament to suspend the fees charged by KCCA for candidates contesting for different posts in Kampala to pin up their posters in the city. This came up after MPs in Kampala who include Latif Ssebagala, John Simbwa, Moses Kasibante cried to parliament to suspend this fees charged for campaign posters of political aspirants because its denying them a right to be known by voters and select leader of their choice through election.
The motion that suspended the poster fees by KCCA was moved by the member of parliament for Makindye East John Simbwa and seconded by the member of parliament for Busongola North William Nzoghou.
The member of parliament for Dokolo county Felix Okot Ogong says that its not fair to tax the leaders who were elected to work on their behalf at different political level. MPs demand that KCCA to drop such fees because it’s a constitutional right for leaders to contest and blocking leaders to show their face to voters undermine the constitution.
The opposition shadow Attorney General Abdul; Katuntu says executive director has no power to impose the tax since the KCCA made the resolution without the lord mayor. Katuntu says that solicitor general should advise where KCCA powers end to levy taxes. Terego county member of parliament Kasiano Wadri criticized the Attorney General who is also Nakawa MP Fred Ruhindi for paying illegal fees after he told them that he paid yet he was supposed to advise KCCA that it was illegal.
The minister in charge of the prime minister’s office Tarsis Kabwegyere tried to plead for the fees to remain but members of parliament say that the fees are illegal. Parliament was told to meet with KCCA and political aspirants over the matter to have a way forward as political aspirants continue with pinning up their posters.
Each political aspirant was told by KCCA to pay 500 shillings for each poster to be pinned up in the city.