PARLIAMENT: The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has halted a move by Parliament’s committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) new Chairman Mubarak Munyagwa from opening a fresh probe into BoU’s role in the controversial closure of commercial banks.
According Mr. Sam Obbo, the Press Secretary to the Speaker of Parliament , Ms. Kadaga said under the law, he (Munyagwa) cannot duplicate the work; more so when the House is waiting for a formal response, on the recommendations.
“I met her today,” Mr. Obbo said adding that: “the Speaker disagrees with what’s going on and she has said she is going to write officially and stop him (Mubarak Munyagwa.”
Earlier, the Parliament leadership had assured the country that Ms. Rebecca Kadaga was to deliver a judgement on the fresh inquiry initiated by Mr. Munyagwa and his deputy Ibrahim Kasozi, also the Makindye East MP after an uproar.
The Director for Communication and Public Affairs at Parliament, Mr Chris Obore said the Speaker who heads the Parliament has the final say on the House business include the powers to block any businesses that aren’t in line with Rules of Procedure governing the House.
Kawempe South MP Munyagwa came under public scrutiny after some sections of commentators and concerned citizens petitioned the Speaker, accusing the new COSASE chairman and his deputy Kasozi of hatching a window to cover up issues contained in the old committee report made by their predecessors; the Bugweri County MP, Mr. Abdul Katuntu and Ms. Anita Amongi detailing the rot in the central bank.
Sections of MPs last week took on the new Committee of pushing for a fresh probe instead of pushing for the implementation of the existing Cosase report on irregularities in the closure of seven commercial banks.
Mr. Munyagwa recently appointed Mr. Kasozi, to head a sub-committee on the closed banks.
The COSASE report was presented by Mr. Munyagwa’s predecessor, Mr Abdu Katuntu, on February 21.
The report was adopted by the House with recommendations on the culprits in the central bank and proposed a raft of reforms at Bank of Uganda.
These claim that Mr. Munyagwa is trying to give the culprits a second chance to table accountability for UGX 478 billion which they failed to account for in the first probe.
Some MPs have vowed to block the fresh investigations into BoU and called Mr Kasozi sub-committee “a conduit” designed to “sanitise the culprits” and help BoU officials “sneak accountability documents” to the office of Auditor General.
Mr Michael Bukenya recently petitioned Ms. Kadaga to block Mr.Kasozi’s from wasting tax payers’ money in re-investigating finished business.
“….this is to request you to prevail on said committee not to expand state resources (money and time) on re-examination which is outside its mandate,” he noted in a petition that was received by speaker’s office.
He also alleges that this is a syndicate and diversion created by Deputy Governor Louis Kasekende and Director Tullow Oil Jimmy Mugerwa to sabotage the previous findings of the former Chairman Abudu Katuntu.
