Joel Ssenyonyi, the current leader of the opposition (LoP) and former chairperson of the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE), has come under fire for his alleged failure to provide adequate accountability for the funds allocated during his tenure. Furthermore, he has been criticized for addressing only five out of the 107 reports presented before the committee.
Prominent city lawyer, Ivan Bwowe, highlighted the fact that COSASE received a substantial budget of Ugx 1.8 billion annually. Calculating the two and a half years Ssenyonyi spent as the committee’s chair, the total amount allocated sums up to over Ugx 4.5 billion. However, Ssenyonyi’s leadership saw the committee only handle five reports, leaving 105 entities untouched.
“It is a considerable amount of money wasted by Ssenyonyi,” remarked Bwowe.
He further emphasized that throughout his tenure, Ssenyonyi barely managed to address one report every six months. Bwowe clarified that his calculations were based on the period covered by the reports, which were from the financial years ending in June 2021, June 2022, and June 2023. He also noted that no backlog from the previous committee was carried forward.
Critics have questioned Ssenyonyi’s credibility as the chair of an institution responsible for holding the government accountable. Bwowe expressed concerns about Ssenyonyi’s accomplishments during his time as COSASE chair and whether he is fit to demand accountability from others. He challenged Ssenyonyi to explain the rationale behind selecting only five entities out of the numerous cases available.
“Can he honestly justify the expenditure of Ugx 4.5 billion for just five reports? Ugandans deserve better from Ssenyonyi. He should act in accordance with his words rather than merely pleasing the public for political gain. In reality, his actions are far from virtuous,” Bwowe asserted.
Sources within the COSASE committee alleged that Ssenyonyi deliberately chose those five entities to benefit himself personally. According to these sources, he allegedly accepted bribes totaling 1.4 billion from officials at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in order to manipulate the reports concerning the organization’s operations. The sources claimed that Ssenyonyi left his position as COSASE chair a significantly wealthier individual.
Given these allegations, doubts have been raised about Ssenyonyi’s moral authority to demand accountability from others when he has failed to provide it himself. Critics argue that he wasted a considerable amount of money while producing minimal results for the Ugandan public.
Ssenyonyi has often challenged others to be accountable, leading to questions about his own actions. One source within COSASE revealed their expenditures, such as spending Ugx 590 million on field trips, Ugx 30 million on breakfast during report considerations, and Ugx 100 million on adopting a single report.
Political experts have joined the debate, highlighting Ssenyonyi’s double standards and his attempt to present himself as a morally upright figure. They have questioned why it took six months to address just one report and why adopting a single report required such a sizable expenditure of Ugx 100 million.
As the controversy surrounding Ssenyonyi’s tenure as COSASE chair unfolds, the public eagerly awaits his response to the allegations and further clarification regarding the handling of funds and selection of reports during his leadership.
