Parliament adjourns prematurely
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Madalitso Kazombo yesterday adjourned Parliament prematurely following parliamentary committees’ failure to present reports from budget cluster meetings.
Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda had moved a motion to adjourn Parliament to allow committee chairpersons to prepare their reports after they had indicated that their reports were not ready due to insufficient time allocated for cluster meetings.
He said the early adjournment would allow the committees to present their reports today before the House moves into the Committee of Supply.
Said Chimwendo Banda: “I want to urge chairpersons of cluster groups to do better next time. The two weeks we have had were enough to complete the work.
“It is not good to go back and forth. Please tomorrow after the oral questions, we go straight to presenting cluster reports. That way, we shall give good precedence.”
Parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee chairperson Gladys Ganda said her committee report was not ready because the allocated two weeks was not sufficient for the committee to deliberate and compile a report for presentation in the House.
She said: “The Budget and Finance Committee met and we looked at the report and we were not satisfied with the contents. Therefore, the committee agreed that we should sit down and look at the report again so that we can present something that is concrete and satisfactory.”
But Kazombo said that this being a budget meeting, there is a reason why the Budget and Finance Committee should be the first to present its report.
He said: “We are here because of the budget and as far as Parliament is concerned, this is your thing, show us!”
It was at this stage when Chimwendo Banda, who is also Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, rose to propose an early adjournment of the House.
The only report that was ready was that of Transport Committee chaired by Enock Phale who said they made several recommendations that would help government save resources.
Parliament resumed meeting yesterday after a two-week breakaway session in clusters where legislators were analysing the proposed 2024/25 National Budget while also holding discussions with ministries, departments and agencies and other stakeholders to scrutinise the budget estimates.
Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola Banda on February 23 2024 tabled the 2024/2025 National Budget projected at about K6 trillion.
The fiscal plan is built on the assumption that the economy will grow by 3.6 percent while inflation will moderate to 23.4 percent from the current 35 percent.
The budget also projects K4.55 trillion in revenue.
