News
COSASE chairperson Nkunyingi wants ban on scrutinising public entities lifted
The situation, Nkunyingi warned, would directly affect Parliament’s constitutional responsibility if not remedied henceforth.
(Courtesy: X/@Parliament_Ug)
By: Nelson Mandela Muhoozi and Dedan Kimathi, Journalists @New Vision
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Kyadondo East Member of Parliament (MP) Muwadda Nkunyingi wants restrictions on scrutinising over 30 public entities lifted.
This is contained in a July 20, 2026, letter that the Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) chairperson wrote to Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth.
In the document, he alleges that administrative overreach by the Speaker of the previous House, Anita Annet Among, had prevented a number of statutory authorities, commissions and state enterprises from appearing before MPs on audit issues. And yet, these squarely fall within the committee’s ambit.
Letter to speaker. (Courtesy)
Letter to speaker. Second page. (Courtesy)
“Among the said entities is the Microfinance Support Centre. For instance, the Microfinance Support Centre Limited was incorporated to provide affordable credit and business development services and operates as a state enterprise. It therefore falls within the oversight mandate of PAC-COSASE,” Nkunyingi pointed out.
“During the 11th Parliament, the former Speaker, through a letter to the chairperson of PAC-COSASE, stopped midway committee proceedings to consider audit reports, a decision that was protested by Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, the then chairperson of the committee, in writing,” he alluded.
The situation, Nkunyingi warned, would directly affect Parliament’s constitutional responsibility if not remedied henceforth.
“This apparently continues to illegally insulate these entities from scrutiny over audit matters, and if not corrected, the 12th Parliament would be in contempt of the law and its constitutional mandate,” he cautioned.
The letter is said to have been received by the office of Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business Robinah Nabbanja on Friday, July 24, 2026.
COSASE – Microfinance probe
For context, Among’s directive, which allegedly brought a COSASE probe into the Microfinance Support Centre to a screeching halt, came in July 2023. At the peak of an investigation into the irregular disbursement of sh4.1 billion to SACCOs without proper loan appraisals, among others.
At the time, the two parties were scrutinising the 2021/22 Financial Year (FY) audit report.
The situation, Nkunyingi warned, would directly affect Parliament’s constitutional responsibility if not remedied henceforth.
“This apparently continues to illegally insulate these entities from scrutiny over audit matters, and if not corrected, the 12th Parliament would be in contempt of the law and its constitutional mandate,” he cautioned.
The letter is said to have been received by the office of Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth, Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business Robinah Nabbanja on Friday, July 24, 2026.
COSASE – Microfinance probe
For context, Among’s directive, which allegedly brought a COSASE probe into the Microfinance Support Centre to a screeching halt, came in July 2023. At the peak of an investigation into the irregular disbursement of sh4.1 billion to SACCOs without proper loan appraisals, among others.
At the time, the two parties were scrutinising the 2021/22 Financial Year (FY) audit report.
After a review of the loan file, lawmakers on COSASE observed that a total of sh3.7 billion had been disbursed to several clients who lacked vital documents. While another sh1.44 billion had been extended as additional capitalisation to existing SACCOs when the support centre had not made recoveries of over 70 percent of the funds disbursed as seed capital in the year under review.
Efforts to reach the Director of Corporate and Public Affairs of Parliament, Grace Gidudu, for a comment on the development proved futile.
Debate over COSASE mandate
Meanwhile Nkunyingi has already stirred debate. During an inaugural COSASE in-house meeting on July 15 this year, the National Unity Platform (NUP) legislator, breaking with tradition, announced that he would summon entities such as the Parliamentary Commission and the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC).
“In the business committee, the Speaker briefed us that construction is in advanced stages, that the procurement has been done. A number of items are in some warehouse in Kawempe. I told the clerk that as a committee we must find out the operations of the commission like any other entity,” Nkunyingi disclosed at the time.
Adding that “It is our business to establish how the commission handled such and other matters. Without fear or favour, part of our principal assignment is also to investigate the Parliamentary Commission. Because it is a commission and we are COSASE.”
The move by COSASE to summon the two aforementioned entities, which in recent years have had their budgetary and legal matters examined by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee currently chaired by John Teira (Bugabula North, NRM) has triggered debate.
However, one of the clerks who spoke to New Vision on condition of anonymity said UHRC and the August House’s administrative body also fall under COSASE. Saying as its name suggests oversees commissions, statutory authorities and state enterprises.
Efforts to reach the Director of Corporate and Public Affairs of Parliament, Grace Gidudu, for a comment on the development proved futile.
Debate over COSASE mandate
Meanwhile Nkunyingi has already stirred debate. During an inaugural COSASE in-house meeting on July 15 this year, the National Unity Platform (NUP) legislator, breaking with tradition, announced that he would summon entities such as the Parliamentary Commission and the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC).
“In the business committee, the Speaker briefed us that construction is in advanced stages, that the procurement has been done. A number of items are in some warehouse in Kawempe. I told the clerk that as a committee we must find out the operations of the commission like any other entity,” Nkunyingi disclosed at the time.
Adding that “It is our business to establish how the commission handled such and other matters. Without fear or favour, part of our principal assignment is also to investigate the Parliamentary Commission. Because it is a commission and we are COSASE.”
The move by COSASE to summon the two aforementioned entities, which in recent years have had their budgetary and legal matters examined by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee currently chaired by John Teira (Bugabula North, NRM) has triggered debate.
However, one of the clerks who spoke to New Vision on condition of anonymity said UHRC and the August House’s administrative body also fall under COSASE. Saying as its name suggests oversees commissions, statutory authorities and state enterprises.