I will not attend COSASE sittings until Katuntu quits- Kasibante

Rubaga North Member of Parliament Moses Kasibante, has vowed not to attend any sittings by the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises until Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu quits.

Kasibante who is currently a member of the Katuntu led committee was appointed Vice President to Kawempe South MP, Mubarak Munyagwa who should be heading the COSASE should Katuntu heed to the expiry of his term of office.

Katuntu’s term of office expired on January 13, however, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca kadaga proposed an extension to end of February to allow the committee complete the probe into Bank of Uganda.

Kadaga’s proposal has however been greeted with criticism and opposition with many insisting that both the speaker and Katuntu are playing on the wrong side of the law. Among those against the speaker’s proposal is Kasibante who claims any meeting convened by the Katuntu led COSASE is ‘illegal’.

“As for now COSASE cannot convene any meaningful meeting until the new leadership and membership of the same committee is designated in plenary. Their tenure expired and until there is designation, I don’t want to be part of it,” Kasibante said.

“I have to be clear on this. I can not attend any other committee called COSASE.”

Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga is holding a crisis meeting with the Leader of Opposition Betty Aol Ochan and the parliamentary commission ahead of the afternoon plenary session.

All principals involved in the meeting are tight lipped about its agenda however, Kadaga and Ochan have publicly disagreed about who heads COSASE. Kadaga had requested Aol to extend outgoing COSASE chair Abdu Katuntu’s term until February to enable him complete the probe into Bank of Uganda’s closure of seven banks. Aol rejected the request.

Aol argued that Katuntu’s successor in the seat Mubarak Munyagwa and are his team are capable of bringing the inquiry to a successful close. Katuntu’s term as COSASE head ended on January 13, 2019. Munyagwa has expressed eagerness to continue the probe once he is sworn in.

The meeting is expected to pronounce itself on whether the Katuntu led COSASE committee will carry on or hand over. Mary Karooro Okurut, minister of general duties in office of the prime minister, is representing government in the meeting.