The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga has finally extended the tenure of the Chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), Abdu Katuntu to allow them time finalize with the Bank of Uganda (BOU) probe.
Kadaga’s decision follows designation of new members to all the standing committees among which is COSASE.
According to the new designations to COSASE by the opposition chief whip, Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, Katuntu was designated to the Committee of Rules and Privileges.
On COSASE, Katuntu will be replaced with Mubarak Munyagwa as COSASE chairperson.
Despite warnings from the opposition that the decision to have Katuntu’s tenure extended would be challenged before court, Kadaga has stuck to her guns.
“We have already set the committees and the clerk will arrange the handovers but in respect to the committee on COSASE They will complete their work and report back to the House this month of February before they hand over,” Kadaga ruled.
Semujju had earlier advised that the committee report on BOU probe that to be made the Katuntu committee risks being considered null.
He proposed to the Speaker that the only way the Bank of Uganda (BOU) investigations can be saved is by using Rule 206 under which a committee can co-opt any member for a specific assignment for a certain period.
“I have already spoken to the new (incoming) leadership of Munyagwa and have agreed that when they assume office which is this week, they will co-opt Katuntu or another member of their choice for a specific assignment and can ask him to chair BOU up to the end,” Semujju said.