Parliament’s national budget cluster committees have cried foul over persistent ignoring of their input by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation and have since demanded an audience with line minister Joseph Mwanamvekha.
Standing on a point of order in Parliament in Lilongwe yesterday, Cluster Committees chairperson Savel Kafwafwa said for a long time successive ministers of Finance have ignored input from the clusters despite public resources being invested in the two-week scrutiny.
In 2013, Parliament introduced budget cluster committees to allow for thorough scrutiny of the proposed national budget before the same can be deliberated in plenary in the National Assembly. The exercise involves examination and assessment of allocations to various government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
been a routine. | Nation
Kafwafwa said members of cluster committees were getting demotivated because their suggestions rarely translate into changes in the final budget passed in Parliament.
He said: “It has been a routine for many years in this House that whatever suggestions we make in the cluster committees don’t really change anything in the final budget.
“This trend continues, we get the budget statement and the following day we pass the budget.”
Kafwafwa said it was a waste of time and resources to have cluster committee meetings if their recommendations are not considered.
“Why are we given a chance to discuss the budget in cluster meetings?” he asked.
In his response, Leader of the House Jappie Mhango assured Parliament that Mwanamvekha would grant cluster chairpersons an audience to discuss the matter.
Following up on the issue later, Kafwafwa said the meeting with the minister did take place, noting that time was insufficient given that there are 10 budget clusters.
He said the chairs resolved to meet again today to further address the matter.
Kafwafwa also observed that political parties in power have tended to use their numerical strength to pass Bills and the budget, making it difficult to amend proposals or incorporate input from cluster committees, even at committee stage when allocations in the budget are scrutinised vote by vote.
But he described Mwanamvekha’s willingness to engage as a positive and welcome development.
The concerns come against a background of legislators previously coming under fire for passing the national budget without thorough analysis.
During cluster meetings, legislators engage MDAs on their spending plans before the budget is debated on the floor of the House.
