KAMPALA —The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Council has bestowed a prestigious Appreciation Award upon Frank Nyakana Rusa, the former Acting Executive Director, in a move widely interpreted as a sharp jab at Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The council’s public display of unity in honoring Rusa for his “distinguished service” during his brief but impactful tenure has ignited speculation of a growing rift and a clear power play within the city’s governing body.
The award, boldly emblazoned with the words “We appreciate your noble service for the capital city (Kampala) as acting E.D.,” was handed over in what insiders describe as an unusually unified gesture, especially considering the recent political storms swirling around City Hall.
This honor for Rusa, who held the reins of KCCA between September and December 2024 following the dramatic dismissal of Dorothy Kisaka, comes at a particularly sensitive time.
During his fleeting stint at the top, Rusa is being lauded for spearheading significant developments, most notably his hands-on supervision of critical flood control initiatives in the notoriously waterlogged Nakivubo area.
Astonishingly, during the heavy March 2025 rains that wreaked havoc across Kampala, the Nakivubo area – a perennial flood disaster zone – remained remarkably dry, a testament to the effectiveness of the projects overseen by Rusa.
These achievements have not only boosted his standing within the KCCA ranks but have seemingly earned him unexpected praise from across the political spectrum.
The carefully orchestrated photo opportunity of a composed and seemingly vindicated Rusa holding his award, proudly positioned between the Ugandan and KCCA flags in his office, speaks volumes.
This public endorsement arrives hot on the heels of a fiery council session just days prior, on April 3, 2025, where Lord Mayor Lukwago’s explosive allegations against Rusa and prominent city investor Dr. Hajji Hamis Kiggundu were unceremoniously dismissed as baseless and politically motivated. The council’s swift rejection of Lukwago’s claims, coupled with the earlier court decision in January to drop the case citing glaring procedural flaws, paints a picture of a Mayor increasingly isolated and out of sync with the prevailing sentiment within KCCA.
As the city now pivots towards forging crucial public-private partnerships to finally tackle Kampala’s seemingly insurmountable drainage woes, the council’s emphatic endorsement of Rusa’s leadership – particularly his track record in the Nakivubo flood control success – could signal a significant institutional shift. Is KCCA subtly sidelining the often-combative Lord Mayor in favor of a more pragmatic, development-focused approach championed by technocrats like Rusa?
