Ibrahim Kasozi, the Makindye East Member of Parliament has been appointed the deputy chairperson of Commissions, Statutory Authority and State Enterprises (Cosase).
He replaces Rubaga North MP Moses Kasibante, whose appointment was rejected by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
According to a statement signed by Nandala Mafabi, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Secretary General on Tuesday, Kasozi’s appointment was made to ‘avoid a vacuum on the committee.’
“As a party, we have no say on the placement of independents on committees. To avoid a vacuum on the committee (Cosase), we propose to replace Hon. Moses Kasibante with Hon. Kasozi Ibrahim as the vice chairperson of Cosase,” the statement reads.
Kasibante, an Independent had been appointed to deputise Kawempe South lawmaker Mubarak Munyagwa, an FDC member.
However, according to Parliamentary rules, the Speaker has powers over any Independent member and has the authority to designate them in whichever she wishes.
The appointments are usually done through the Dean of Independents, Andrew Aja Baryayanga, the MP Kabale Municipality.
So although, Kadaga had received a letter from Ssemujju Nganda, the FDC party chief whip indicating that Kasibante had been appointed deputy chairperson Cosase, she instead intentionally fronted his name to the Baryayanga, who assigned him to the Appointments Committee.
Since the rules also do not allow both committee chairpersons and their deputies to serve in more than one committee, Ssemujju took to the floor and requested the Speaker to withdraw Kasibante’s name so that he maintains his Cosase membership as a duly nominated vice.
Kasibante had also served as a committee member on Cosase.
However, Kadaga insisted that Kasibante had to remain on the Appointments Committee and ordered the clerk to ensure that all appointed members of different committees start work with immediate effect.
Since January 23, the new Cosase had no vice chairperson even though it had not entered office yet because the old committee led by Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu was yet to release a report on the controversial closure of the seven commercial banks.
On February 25 when Katuntu handed over office officially to Munyagwa, there was tension since Kadaga still has the power to appoint a member in any committee in case both chief whips fail to appoint them.
This forced Nandala to write a letter to Ssemujju indicating the appointment of Kasozi, whom the Speaker cannot reject.
Ssemujju is yet to pronounce himself on the matter.
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