Kadaga Orders COSASE Boss Munyagwa to Stop Fresh Probe on Defunct Banks

By Max Patrick Ocaido

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has ordered Mubarak Munyagwa, the chairperson of parliamentary committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) to stop fresh probe on defunct commercial Banks.

Since taking over as COSASE chair, Munyagwa has started afresh to investigate the controversial closure of 7 defunct banks by Bank of Uganda- a matter that was comprehensively probed by former COSASE team headed by Abdu Katuntu.

In a letter dated June 10, 2019, Kadaga has written to Munyagwa ordering him to back off from re-opening the investigation into the Bank of Uganda on closure of the 7 commercial banks. Kadaga said in her letter that there is no need to re-open the investigations considering that the same committee early this year concluded the probe, presented a report which was debated and adopted by the House.

“I am of the opinion that your action in trying to reopen a matter that was already been substantively considered and finalized by Parliament in the very recent past, in the absence of a fresh report of the Auditor General on the subject or authority of the House, whose delegate the committee is, is not founded in the Constitution or indeed in the Rules of Procedure of Parliament,” Kadaga said in her letter.

Rule 219 of the Rules of Procedure that provides that,” it is out of order to attempt to reconsider any specific question upon which the House has come to a conclusion during the current Session.”

“I note that no motion was moved either by you as Chairperson or by any other member to that effect. I therefore propose and guide that you should refrain from further proceeding in relation to this matter until otherwise directed by the House,” Kadaga said.

On May 29 and May 31, Kadaga received two separate petitions from concerned citizens objecting to the reopening of the investigation into closure of the commercial banks by BoU by COSASE. The petitioners accuse Munyagwa of corruption with motive to commit fraud and extortion.