KAMPALA – A cross section of members of the public as well as professional bodies have welcomed the appointment of Eng. Andrew Mubiru Kitaka as the Acting Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), saying that he is a dedicated worker who deserves that position.
Those interviewed say Eng. Kitaka has been heavily involved the current infrastructure development within Kampala’s central business district and its outskirts.
“If they have appointed him, then we are happy as engineers because he has been heading KCCA’s directorate of engineering, which has delivered in terms of the city’s new outlook. We appreciate his appointment,” Prof Henry Alinaitwe, Makerere University’s Principal of College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology,” said when approached.
Kitaka joined KCCA from the European Union and has been to heading of KCCA’s directorate of Engineering and Technical Services. Mr. Kitaka, a member of Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE), was considered to steer the city’s infrastructure development.
When Kitaka joined KCCA in 2011, the city had a road network of 1,200km but has since increased to 2,110km when a new road inventory was conducted in 2015.
Under Mr Kitaka’s stewardship, more than 210km of roads have been upgraded to bitumen and more than 500km of gravel roads maintained with dual lanes.
The city authority has also been able to reconfigure and install responsive functional traffic signals at 20 junctions, including at Nakawa, Natete, Wandegeya, Fairway Hotel, Bwaise, Kiira Road, Game Lugogo, Katikati, Kololo Airstrip and Naguru, among others.
There has also been the installation of 4,988 streetlights in the city of which 1,560 are solar-powered.
At least 169km of drainages are maintained each year and over the last one year, KCCA completed reconstruction of 13km of community drains.
Coe-workers at KCCA term Kitaka as a hardworking executive, who has been instrumental in the city’s infrastructure revolution and pledged their support.
KCCA’s director of public and corporate affairs, Peter Kaujju said: “We will give our support to him and do what we are supposed to do,” Mr Kaujju said.
Mr Fred Andema, the KCCA’s director of revenue collection, said Mr Kitaka is composed and calm but strict in his work.
“The Directorate of Engineering and Technical Services which he headed has made a lot success and now that he has been appointed in that capacity, he should be able to deliver because he has the capacity to do so,” Mr Andema said.
He also noted that infrastructure is key if the city is to develop, adding that city dwellers should support Mr Kitaka to enable him perform better.
Kampala minister Beti Kamya in a press statement yesterday said Mr Kitaka will hold the executive director portfolio until President Museveni appoints a new one.
“To ensure continuity and smooth-running of the city, I have assigned duties of executive director to Engineer Andrew Kitaka Mubiru, who is substantively the director of engineering and technical services at KCCA,” Ms Kamya stated.
Ms Kamya said Mr Samuel Sserunkuuma will continue his duties as KCCA deputy executive director.
Mr Sserunkuuma, who previously headed the revenue directorate, was appointed acting deputy executive director following the resignation of Dr Judith Tukahiirwa in 2016.
Ms Musisi first appointed Mr Kitaka in the same position but later sent him back to the engineering docket. To date, the position of the deputy executive director has never been filled.
Both the executive director and directors are appointed by the President on recommendation of the minister and Public Service.
They all serve three-year renewable contract but they (contracts) are open-ended.
The Chairperson of Kampala city mayors Emmanuel Sserunjogi, lauded Mr Kitaka’s appointment, saying he has been instrumental in the city’s transformation.
“I have no doubt that he will perform because he knows KCCA. However, he should be ready to plug the current gap between politicians at City Hall and technocrats,” he said.
WORK AND EXPERIENCE;
Mr Kitaka holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Makerere University and a Master’s degree in road and transportation engineering from IHE/Delt University in the Netherlands. He went to King’s College Budo and Namilyango College for his O and A-Levels, respectively.
Mr Kitaka has also attended specialised training courses in urban transportation planning and reform in Japan and Ghana. He was on the government delegation to Bogota, Colombia, in 2008 to study the state-of-the-art rapid bus transit system for possible implementation in greater Kampala in a bid to alleviate traffic congestion in the city.
He started his engineering career in the private sector with Kagga & Partners Consulting Engineers before joining Public Service. He has also worked with Uganda National Roads Authority. Mr Kitaka is married to Mulago paediatrician, Dr Sabrina Kitaka with whom they have five children.
When government rebranded the Kampala City Council (KCC) into Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Mr Kitaka was appointed the first director of Engineering and Technical services, a position he has held to date.
Besides KCCA, He also does consultancy work for both local and international organisations.
