The Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) Chairman, MP Joel Ssenyonyi is under investigation for leaking to media, several classified reports before presenting and discussing it in Parliament as required by rules of procedures.
Ssenyonyi, who doubles as the Nakawa West Municipality legislator elected on NUP ticket is accused of violating parliamentary rules of procedure ,and oath of secrecy.
Describing the act as unethical and intolerable behaviour, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among furiously confirmed that she has already tasked the Leader of the Opposition (since the committee is steered by the opposition) to provide a detail report on the matter.
“We want to know who leaked out the report, and we want a report from the Leader of the Opposition. We are not going to encourage that. How do you leak a report before it is discussed? Why do we discuss what has gone out?” said Among.
The speaker further adds that this has not been the first time members of the COSASE committee are leaking critical information to media before it is presented and discussed in Parliament which interferes with their work.
According to Rule 216(1) of the Rules of Procedure, a report or any evidence in a committee must not be published before it has been presented to the House. However, Ssenyonyi rushed some of the reports into the media before they were presented to Parliament.
Some of the reports that he allegedly leaked include the COSASE investigation of Uganda Airlines’ operations, namely recruitment processes, salary scales, and allegations of corruption, which was conducted in August and September 2022.
According to close sources, Ssenyonyi had earlier threatened the Uganda Airlines’ bosses to “squeeze” them if a certain amount of money was not given to him.
Some of the NUP leaders also joined the queue, accusing Ssenyonyi of leaking party secrets to government officials in exchange for cash.
It should be remembered that in September 2021, a WhatsApp conversation leaked between NUP’s Secretary General, MP David Rubongoya, and Ssenyonyi, indicating that there were secret dealings going on between the NUP party and some big government officials.
