Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
THE president of the Senate, Cde Mabel Chinomona, has challenged Parliament to carry out its oversight role on the National Budget in line with Constitutional and statutory provisions.
Cde Chinomona said this in her closing remarks at the Parliament’s pre-Budget seminar that ended in Bulawayo on Saturday.
“Our deliberations reaffirmed Parliament’s part mandate to exercise effective oversight of public finances in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution and Acts of Parliament,” she said.
“Parliament’s responsibility must go beyond approving the national budget to include oversight of appropriation, displacement, utilisation and actual service delivery.
“In addition, there was consensus on the need to broaden resource mobilisation strategies and unlock alternative resources of development financing given the competing demands on the national fiscus.”
Cde Chinomona thanked the Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube and all the line ministries for their comprehensive and constructive responses to the MPs and also commended the chairpersons of portfolio committees for presenting comprehensive reports of the outcomes of their consultations with key stakeholders, including members of the public.
“These contributions remind us that the national budget must reflect national priorities and respond to the aspirations of the people we represent in their diversity. As we endeavour to translate these priorities into action, we must continue to recognise that the threat of the impending El-Nino-induced drought is a real one,” Cde Chinomona said.
Government has already set in motion mechanisms to alleviate the impact of the expected drought through mobilising 600 000 tonnes of strategic grain reserves, expand irrigation schemes and the aggressive implementation of the conservation agriculture among various initiatives.
Cde Chinomona also called for particular attention to be focused on rural communities especially in the provision of health and education services.
Treasury expects to generate around ZiG347 billion to support the 2027 national Budget although ministries have submitted budget bids of over ZiG900 billion.
