Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) was yesterday forced to suspend its business after members failed to agree on how to handle Finance Minister Henry Musasizi, who did not appear before the committee as expected.
Musasizi had been invited to explain matters relating to government obligations linked to more than Shs140 billion claimed by businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba’s Haba Group. He had been expected to appear alongside Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego and Basajjabalaba.
By 10am, Basajjabalaba and Atingi-Ego had already arrived in the committee room for the hearing chaired by COSASE chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi. However, the session started without the minister.
Nkunyingi informed committee members that Musasizi had earlier written to the committee requesting that the hearing be scheduled for Thursday, a request that COSASE had accepted.
“We had invited the minister on another date, but he wrote back requesting that we meet today, which we agreed to. I therefore wonder why he has not appeared, yet this date was fixed at his request,” Nkunyingi said.
The committee suspended the meeting for 30 minutes in anticipation of the minister’s arrival. Nkunyingi also directed officers attached to Parliament to go to the Ministry of Finance and establish why the minister had not appeared.
When the officers returned, they reported that they had not found Musasizi in his office and had been informed that he was engaged elsewhere.
The report triggered a heated debate among committee members on what action should be taken against the minister.
Busia Municipality MP Ismail Sowedi Mulemye proposed that Parliament should consider initiating censure proceedings against Musasizi, arguing that the minister had failed to respect the authority of Parliament.
“I think the minister has disobeyed the committee and I would move a motion to have him censured,” Mulemye said.
Other members argued that Musasizi’s failure to appear was unacceptable, noting that he had previously appeared before committees to answer questions on loans and other government matters.
However, some MPs called for caution.
Following the debate, Nkunyingi ruled that COSASE would suspend all its sittings until members meet and agree on how to proceed.
“We suspend all meetings of COSASE until the committee sits and considers the minister’s conduct. Secondly, we shall write to the appointing authority to establish whether there was any directive preventing him from appearing. Thirdly, we shall write to the Speaker seeking guidance on the matter,” Nkunyingi ruled.
The adjournment meant that neither Basajjabalaba nor Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego was given the opportunity to present their submissions.
The dispute centres on claims relating to payments linked to Haba Group, a matter that has previously attracted public interest because of the large sums involved and questions about government liabilities.
