Ugandans serving in different capacities both in private practice and government have come out to express their honest views on the on going impasse that has locked down Parliament of Uganda involving the person of the Speaker and Leader of Opposition.
The two powerful women are embroiled in a fight on whether the term of office for Parliament’s Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) should be extended for two more months to allow it exhaust investigations on Bank of Uganda.
Its term will end on January 13.
COSASE is currently chaired by Bugweri County lawmaker Abdu Katuntu who is deputized by Hon Anita Amongi.
Katuntu is a member of opposition party FDC while Amongi is independent- NRM leaning having fallen out with the FDC.
As mandated by the rules of procedure, the opposition party with numerical strength in this case FDC is mandated to appoint the leadership of COSASE and other few parliamentary committee heads.
And the procedure is that every after 2 and half years, the FDC convenes to review performances of these committees in parliament and where it requires reshuffles, they are effected.
After reshuffling the Leader of Opposition (LOP) and appointing Betty Aol Ochan replacing Winfred Kizza, the FDC leadership tasked her to appoint new committee heads.
Against that backdrop, Hon Aol appointed Hon Mubarak Munyagwa as new COSASE chairman.
However, the Speaker of Parliament Hon Rebecca Kadaga has since advised that the Katuntu team be allowed two more months so as its completes the report on the probe against the Central Bank.
Her proposal has been quashed by the FDC who accuse her of dictatorship.
But Kadaga responded that she is the Speaker and her guidance is unchallenged.
The storm has since sucked in the member of the public with the majority backing Kadaga’s proposal.
Below we produce views gathered from majority Ugandans;
Mr Simon Peter Kinobe the President Uganda Law Society notes that the current team led by Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu and Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among has nearly completed the exercise and any interruption now would scale back the progress registered in that investigation and render the invested resources into this process so far to be a waste yet the time needed for them to produce a report is not that long.
The Law Society is a constitutional Body mandated to provide guidance wherever an impasse arises.
Buliisa County Mp Stephen Mukitale Birahwa (Former Chairman commitee on National Economy) says that the impasse can be addressed by allowing Mubarak Munyagwa and Moses Kasibante to sit in the morning to handle other pwending business awaiting the commitee and the Katuntu/Among team continues with the Bank of Uganda Probe until its concluded. This he says is a middle ground.
Veteran journalist Conrad Nkutu says: Ugandan politicians are increasingly leaving no room for compromise even on straightforward matters. Munyagwa should take over COSASE which has multiple tasks but Katuntu should be allowed to chair the BOU probe until its logical conclusion. All other COSASE duties should be led by Munyagwa.
FDC ought to compromise on this. The BOU probe is in its afternoon, is in good hands and needs more time.
Popular human rights lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuzi: FDC will appear bad.
Rebecca Kadaga: I am the Speaker and my proposal is good for the institution and the country.
Singer Bebe Cool: Some rules can be revisited for the good of the country
Ofwono Opondo: When Kadaga ruled in favour of NRM rebel MPs, the opposition hailed her, why not this time
Peter Banya: The current committe should be given time to conclude the BOU inquiry after that they can hand over to the new team, this is not about politics but putting the interest of the country first
Onyuk Andrew: I want to compare that with a situation of a court case wherein the presiding judge got a transfer before ruling on the matter when almost all the facts in issue were heard by the same. Is it irrational to stay the status quo specifically for that matter? I therefore find a lot of wisdom in Rt Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga ruling.
