BY NALEDI DUBE
Members of Parliament’s Portfolio Committees recently underwent an intensive two-day training programme on Public Finance Management, the national budget process, and budget analysis. The capacity-building initiative was designed to equip legislators with technical skills to effectively analyse, scrutinise, and monitor the national budget in line with Parliament’s constitutional obligations.
The training, held in Masvingo, brought together committee members from various sectors. It focused on strengthening MPs’ understanding of the constitutional and legislative frameworks that underpin financial accountability and budget oversight. With the national budget being a critical tool for resource allocation and development planning, legislators were urged to play an active role in ensuring transparency and efficiency in the use of public funds.
Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, who officiated the training, stressed the importance of capacitating legislators to enhance their oversight function.
“The role of Parliament in budget oversight is not a matter of conventional politics, executive benevolence, or sheer happenstance. It is a constitutional mandate that forms the very juridical foundation of the budgetary process,” Advocate Mudenda said.
He further emphasised that the Constitution does not merely permit Parliament to scrutinise public expenditure , it commands it.
“You must ensure that public resources are expended on programmes designed to improve the livelihoods of the citizenry with the greatest equity and economy,” he added.
Advocate Mudenda also noted that beyond the legal frameworks guiding financial oversight, committees must grasp the dynamics of the national budget matrix.
“Central to fulfilling your constitutional fiscal oversight obligations is the ability to conduct comprehensive budget analysis. This involves assessing the spending framework through the lens of the poor, women, children, and persons with disabilities, with the objective of prioritising robust revenue inflows and public expenditure in ways that are socially equitable,” he said.
The training also provided insights into the best practices in public finance management, strategies for analysing budget proposals, and techniques for interpreting financial reports. Legislators were taught how to identify red flags in budget performance and to monitor expenditure to curb the misuse of public funds.
It is anticipated that the enhanced capacity of the Portfolio Committees will strengthen Parliament’s effectiveness in budget oversight, contributing to improved governance, fiscal discipline, and sustainable development outcomes for the country.