The National Assembly has postponed parliamentary committee meetings scheduled for this week, among them interviews of diplomatic appointees which the Public Appointments Committee (PAC) was expected to conduct.
The Nation
has found that the meetings have been postponed due to changes in the financial management system at Treasury, which has also caused delays in payments at district councils.
The meetings were confirmed last week and in the case of PAC, diplomatic appointees ready to appear for interviews included former Council for Non-Governmental Organisations in Malawi (Congoma) chairperson Voice Mhone who is set to go to Germany and lawyer Necton Mhura who is heading to the United States of America.
Acting Clerk of Parliament Roosevelt Gondwe said in an interview Parliament requested for funding for committee meetings, but cheques have not been approved by the Accountant General.
Said Gondwe: “When the cheques are issued, the committees will meet. No meeting has been cancelled, but postponed. We were avoiding keeping MPs [Members of Parliament] in the committee rooms when they have no money for accommodation and meals.”
But committee chairperson for Health, Juliana Lunguzi, whose meeting has also been postponed, expressed disappointment that an opportunity has been lost to interface with critical bodies such as Health Service Commission, donors and Central Medical Stores Trust.
Another committee, which was expected to meet this week, was Statutory Corporations chaired by UDF MP Lilian Patel.
