Parliament committee stops insurance regulator audit scrutiny  

Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has suspended scrutiny of the Auditor General’s report on the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) after two officials appeared before the committee claiming to head the institution.

Dr Protazio Sande appeared before the committee as Acting Chief Executive Officer, while Dr Ibrahim Kaddunabbi Lubega also presented himself as the Chief Executive Officer of the insurance regulator.

The conflicting claims prompted COSASE to pause the audit scrutiny as lawmakers seek clarity on who is lawfully authorised to head the Authority.

COSASE Chairperson Hon. Muwada Nkunyingi, the NUP MP for Kyadondo County East, said the committee will seek guidance from the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury on the leadership question before proceeding with the Auditor General’s report.

“We need to establish who is lawfully in charge of the Insurance Regulatory Authority before we proceed with the audit queries,” the committee indicated.

The leadership dispute centres on the appointment and reappointment of Kaddunabbi, whose tenure at the Authority has been contested by the Board.

Appearing before the committee, former IRA Board Chairperson Dr Isaac Nkote Nabeta said the previous Board declined to recommend Kaddunabbi for reappointment.

The current Board Chairperson, Keto Nyapendi Kayemba, told the committee that the decision was upheld and that Dr Sande was subsequently appointed in an acting capacity.

The competing claims have created uncertainty over who has the legal mandate to respond to audit queries on behalf of the Authority.

Court dispute adds to uncertainty

COSASE also wants to obtain a copy of the court injunction issued in the dispute involving Kaddunabbi.

The committee was informed that the High Court halted the appointment of a substantive Chief Executive Officer while allowing Dr Sande to continue serving as Acting Chief Executive Officer pending determination of the dispute.

The court intervention has added another layer to the disagreement over the leadership of the insurance regulator, with Parliament now seeking to understand the precise implications of the injunction before continuing its oversight work.

For COSASE, establishing the lawful head of the institution is critical because the committee is scrutinising the Auditor General’s findings and requires accountable officials to respond to questions arising from the audit.

The committee is expected to resume scrutiny once it receives clarification from the Treasury and reviews the court order.

The dispute highlights the governance challenges that can arise when institutional appointments become subject to competing administrative and legal interpretations, potentially affecting the operations of regulatory bodies and Parliament’s oversight of public institutions.