It was an unpaid drama as Hon. Kyeyune Haruna Kasolo, the Minister of State in Charge of Micro Finance, for failing to read a report during a recent session of the House which prompted several fellow Members of Parliament to underweigh him.
These events unfolded when Hon. Kasolo had been asked to update the House on the status of the Microfinance and Deposit-Taking Institutions bill 2022, which falls under his jurisdiction.
However, he was unable to read a simple statement informing the House that the bill had been passed with amendments by the committee of the whole house. This led to the Speaker asking him to repeat the statement, which caused laughter in the House.
MPs raised concerns about Kasolo’s ability to manage a ministry with documents written in English, given that he was unable to read a simple statement in the language. They wondered if he could easily comprehend policy statements and provide strategic guidance to the ministry.
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One MP, who spoke anonymously, stated that those in positions of power must be thorough and knowledgeable. Kasolo, who has held the portfolio for the past seven years, seemed embarrassed by his inability to articulate in the official language of the country.
Several MPs mocked him, but he has yet to make a statement on the matter. The bill was ultimately passed, but the incident has raised questions about Kasolo’s competence and ability to effectively manage the ministry.