IRA leadership dispute overshadows COSASE probe

What the report says

Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has adjourned its review of the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) after a dispute over who legally leads the regulator blocked MPs from moving on to audit questions. The hearing in Kampala was meant to address issues raised in the Auditor General’s report for the 2024/2025 financial year, along with governance concerns at the authority.

The matters before COSASE included salary adjustments for former CEO Alhaj Ibrahim Kaddunabbi Lubega, payments linked to leave and travel, recruitment beyond approved staffing levels, and weaknesses in handling security deposits held by insurers. The Auditor General also questioned whether some board and management decisions followed the required approval process. These findings were part of the background to the committee’s planned scrutiny.

The session instead focused on the status of Kaddunabbi’s expired contract, the Board’s decision not to renew it, and the appointment of Dr Protazio Sande as acting CEO. Kaddunabbi told MPs that court orders protected his position, while IRA’s legal officer and Treasury representatives gave differing interpretations of the legal situation. The Secretary to the Treasury did not appear personally, leaving the committee without a clear government position on who should act as accounting officer.

COSASE members said the uncertainty over leadership and financial accountability prevented them from proceeding, and the committee voted to resume only after the legal position is clarified. The dispute matters because it affects who can answer for IRA’s finances and operations while Parliament examines alleged audit and governance lapses.