The parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has accepted an apology from the Finance Minister Henry Musasizi for failing to appear before the committee to respond to accountability queries raised in the Auditor General’s report.
Last week the committee suspended its sessions following the repeated failure of the Minister to appear without communication. This also forced a section of legislators to move a motion to censure the minister for his continuous failure to honor committee invitations and parliamentary obligations.
However, this morning, COSASE Chairperson, Muwada Nkunyingi, told the media at parliament that the committee has received an apology letter from the minister who is now ready to appear before the committee on another date.
The minister was expected to respond to questions over a disputed Shs140.4 billion Bank of Uganda loan guarantee involving HABA Group, a private company owned by city businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba.
“In his letter, he was requesting for time and requesting that the meeting be rescheduled for another time. Now, we have deliberated and considered the request by the Minister, and first of all, we have received and accepted his apology, at least for now, and his commitment for the Ministry and the technical teams of the Ministry to prepare, he says that, in his write-up, he says that the issues that are subject to the meeting relate to events that happened in June 2010,” Mr Muwada said.
