COSASE: Speaker overturns Kasibante's appointment

Rubaga North MP, Moses Kasibante's excitement after being appointed as the vice chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has been cut short by House Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.

Kadaga instead sent Kasibante's name to the committee on appointments despite pleas by the opposition chief whip, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda (Kira Municipality) to maintain him as a COSASE member and duly nominated as its vice chairperson.

Rooted in Rule 155 of the Parliament Rules of Procedure, Parliament spent the better part of Tuesday evening designating MPs to various standing committees through political party whips.

Parliament rules also give the Speaker the leeway to designate Independent MPs to committees, but she delegated the ‘Dean' of Independents Andrew Aja Baryayanga (Kabale Municipality MP) to read out the names as designated in which Kasibante's was sent to the committee on Appointments.

It's at this point that Ssemujju took to the floor requesting Kadaga to withdraw Kasibante from the Appointments Committee and allow him serve on COSASE.

However, Kadaga declined to accept Ssemujju's request and insisted that "Kasibante will remain at the Appointments committee."

 Kasibante

The outgoing COSASE chairperson Abdu Katuntu was moved to the committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline and awaits to hand over office at the end of February after a temporary tenure extension to allow him conclude the probe on Bank of Uganda over the closure of 7 defunct Banks.

"We have finished designating all chairpersons of the relevant committees and I request the Clerk to ensure that they all handover immediately except for COSASE which will continue up to the end of February to allow conclusion of their probe," said Kadaga.

The Government Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa also made several changes in the COSASE membership and new entrants are; Violet Akurut (Katakwi), David Abala (Ngora), Muyanja Ssenyonga (Mukono South), Agnes Kunihira (Workers), Judith Babirye (Buikwe), Mwine Mpaka (Western Youth), Bonny Okello (Kole North).

Opposition retained DP's Medard Sseggona (Busiro East) and appointed Ssemujju, Patrick Ochan (Apac Municipality), Allan Ssewanyana (Makindye West), Paul Mwiru (Jinja East) and Mubarak Munyagwa (Kawempe South) who will serve as COSASE chairperson.

Kato Lubwama (Rubaga South) and Muhammed Nsereko (Kampala Central) are the opposition leaning independents that will serve on COSASE.

Under Rule 155(1) of the Rules of Procedure, the Standing Committees have tenure of two and a half years and a Member may not be a Member of more than one Standing Committee except for Business Committee and the Budget Committee. Ends