Kadaga to FDC: My House, my rules

The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has maintained her earlier stance to maintain the parliamentary committee of Commissions, Statutory and State Enterprises (Cosase) leadership after expiry of their tenure.

The committee led by Bugweri MP Abdu Katuntu and Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among as vice chairperson is currently probing the irregular closure and sale of seven commercial banks.

Bugweri MP Abdu Katuntu and Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among

Leader of Opposition Betty Aol Ocan (FDC) forwarded Kawempe South MP Mubarak Munyagwa’s name to parliament as the new Cosase chairperson and Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibante as a replacement for Among, to steer the committee for the remaining two and half years as per the parliamentary rules of procedure.

Last year on December 20, Katuntu wrote to Kadaga requesting for more time for the committee to wind up its investigations. Kadaga accordingly extended the Katuntu led committee schedule to February 20 this year.

However, the opposition was dissatisfied with Kadaga’s extension, demanding that the old leadership hands over to Munyagwa and Kasibante.

“We have encouraged the speaker to let the former leaders handover and new leaders continue. Unless they have some vested interest [otherwise] they should handover and be part of Cosase [the probe] and follow-up to the end,” Aol said yesterday in an interview.

“It’s wrong for us to keep dilly dallying…I have not finished this…that. Can you finish everything?” she added.

Under the parliament rules of procedure, the opposition is in charge of designating the leadership of all accountability committees including Cosase.

But, Kadaga at a news conference at parliament today, said as the head of parliament and custodian of the rules of procedure, she has decided that the current leadership concludes the investigations and present the report by end of next month.

“I am the head of this institution and my proposal is good for the institution. What we are doing is the work for the people of Uganda not for parties,” Kadaga said.

Kadaga said the current Cosase committee leadership would handover only after parliament received and debated the Bank of Uganda probe report.

“Cosase is winding up on the Bank of Uganda investigations. We expect them to write the report and hand it over to the House before they move but the choice will come after they have reported,” Kadaga said.

The other accountability and standing committees’ leadership will expire on January 13.