Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has summoned the minister of Finance to explain why the appointment of a new deputy governor for Bank of Uganda is taking forever.
Kadaga has directed Matia Kasaijja to appear before Parliament next Thursday to explain to Parliament when the appointing authority will name a new deputy governor for the central bank.
The position of deputy governor fell vacant mid last month, following the expiry of the contract of Mr Louis Kasekende. Kasekende had been at the Central Bank for 10 years, but did not get a contract renewal, in what analysts say, his performance did not satisfy the appointing authority.
Without BoU deputy governor, Prof Tumusiime Mutebile has to work around the clock, yet, at his age and state of health, he is unable to keep abreast of the developments at the Bank, country, and across the globe.
The Speaker, in the Thursday sitting said, Tumusiime Mutebile is taking on all the responsibilities of the governor yet he is supposed to have a deputy.
“I am concerned about this crisis, therefore I hereby order the minister of Finance Matia Kasaijja to appear before Parliament to tell us when is the deputy governor going to be appointed.”
Kadaga’s directive follows Igara County East MP Michael Maranga Mawanda’s plea at the floor of the House that Parliament tasks Government to appoint a deputy governor for the bank of Uganda.
“I am here to raise an issue of National importance; I am currently working on the Bank of Uganda Amendment Bill 2019. But Madam Speaker as I speak now, we don’t have a deputy governor for the Bank of Uganda, the position is vacant. Can government explain to me why they are not appointing a new person?” Mawanda asked.
Mawanda was tasked by Parliament to produce the Private Members Bank of Uganda Amendment Bill in two months, after he requested for an extension to do the same.
The BoU has faced crisis after crisis since it took over Crane Bank. The investigation of the auditor general discovered serious malpractices at the institution which was previously running unchecked by anyone.
A Parliamentary probe also found that top officials of Bank of Uganda had closed and sold assets of seven banks illegally.
But that is not all, BoU was spending money unabated on private lawyers who were actually mis-advising the institution.
The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) investigated among others fraud and mismanagement and tasked government to act on causing reforms at BoU as well as punish officials who caused government such losses.
Parliament also recommended that contracts of the governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile and his deputy, Kasekende should not be renewed over the mismanagement of the Crane Bank sale transaction.
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