Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has dropped a move to censure Finance Minister Henry Musasizi after accepting his apology for failing to appear before the committee.

The committee last week suspended its business after Musasizi failed to honour its summons to respond to accountability concerns, prompting Bamunanika County MP Robert Ssekitoleko to move a motion seeking his censure for contempt of Parliament.

Musasizi had been summoned to explain issues surrounding a Ministry of Finance letter of comfort to the Bank of Uganda that was intended to facilitate HABA Group of Companies’ access to Shs140 billion.

The minister’s failure to appear before the committee triggered the censure motion, with Ssekitoleko citing Parliament’s Rules of Procedure on contempt.

However, Musasizi on Tuesday submitted an apology to COSASE over his failure to attend the scheduled meeting.

COSASE chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi said the committee had accepted the minister’s apology and would not proceed with the censure motion.

Nkunyingi said the committee would instead reschedule the meeting for next week, when Musasizi is expected to appear and respond to the issues raised by the MPs.

The decision effectively pauses the censure process and allows the committee to return to the substantive accountability questions surrounding the Ministry of Finance’s letter of comfort and the proposed Shs140 billion financing for HABA Group of Companies.