Forum for Democratic Party (FDC) and speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga are once again clashing over the leadership composition of the parliamentary committee on Commissions, Statutory Authority and State Enterprises (Cosase).
On Tuesday, Kadaga rejected the appointment of Moses Kasibante as the vice chairperson of Cosase and instead allocated him to the Appointments committee. However, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP) Betty Aol Ocan insists that Kasibante is the opposition's preferred choice for the Cosase vice chairperson position.
Last year, FDC president Patrick Oboi Amuriat dropped the Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu as Cosase chairperson and and Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among as vice chairperson - replacing them with Mubarak Munyagwa (Kawempe South) and Moses Kasibante (Rubaga North) respectively.
Ocan says that the speaker must now explain why Kasibante was allocated to two committees despite expressing interest in serving in Cosase.
"We have our law, our rule. What does our rule say? Our rule says Kasibante as an individual has a choice. So it will be his choice to pick on one [committee]. We still don’t know…Whatever the problem is, we will have to go to the speaker and try to understand because Kasibante as a member of parliament also has his rights." said Ocan.
According to the parliament's rule of procedure 157 (4), independent members of parliament apply to the clerk of parliament to join committees of their choice.
Kasibante, who joined parliament on an independent ticket says he has not written to the clerk of parliament wishing to be a member of the Appointments committee. He says the speaker should follow the rules of procedure.
"First of all, it’s a big surprise that somebody can even allege against me; that I have ever applied to be a member on the Appointments committee. It was a surprise to me when the dean of Independents as he is called, was reading my name on his list. I actually don’t even belong to the so-called Independents Forum. By practice here, an independent member of parliament chooses which side of the two to align with - that is the ruling party or the opposition. From day one I chose to align with opposition." Kasibante furiously said.
On Tuesday, party whips presented their members designated on different standing committees of parliament. Opposition chief whip Ssemujju Nganda requested Kadaga to allow Kasibante's name be withdrawn from the Appointments committee where he had earlier been designated by the Independent whip, Andrew Aja Baryayanga so that he is appointed as Cosase vice chairperson.
Kadaga insisted that Kasibante would serve on the Appointments committee where he had already been designated. An MP is allowed to only serve on one standing committee. Kadaga then ruled that the old Cosase leadership would be allowed to finalize its probe into the closure of several commercial banks.
Betty Nambooze, the Mukono County North MP says they are not challenging the ruling of the speaker, but are seeking her explanation on the matter.
When Oboi dropped Katuntu as Cosase chairperson and his deputy Among last year, Kadaga implored FDC to allow Katuntu and his team to continue with the Bank of Uganda (BoU) probe up to February 2019.
This prompted a sharp dispute between the speaker, LoP and the opposition chief whip, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda backed by several opposition and independent MPs.
They insisted that Katuntu hands over after the expiry of his term on January 13. Kadaga engaged Ocan in a closed meeting on January 15, which resolved to allow Katuntu to continue chairing the central bank probe up to February 15.
Meanwhile, government chief whip, Ruth Nankabirwa maintained Ntenjeru North MP, Amos Lugolobi as the Budget committee chairperson but dropped his deputy Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi and replaced him with Kachumbala County MP, Patrick Opolot Isiagi.
She also dropped Mitooma Woman MP, Jovah Kamateeka and her deputy, Sofia Nalule, the representative of PWDs in Central region as leaders and replaced them with Buvuma Islands County MP, Jennipher Nantume and Bugiri Woman MP, Agnes Taaka respectively.