Role of cluster committees
Malawi Government officials who heeded the summons of cluster committees of Parliament to assist in scrutinising the proposed 2015/16 National Budget have come under fire from Secretary to the Treasury (ST) Ronald Mangani who asked the officials not to lobby for more funding.
Instead, the ST suggested that the departments present a united front to Parliament.
But what is the role of cluster committees?
Parliament Standing Orders adopted in November 2013 established cluster committees, which are formed once the Minister of Finance tables a motion that the estimates of expenditure on revenue and development be committed to a committee of the whole House.
Specifically, Standing Order 137(2) states that once the minister has tabled the motion, debate is adjourned for 10 working days to allow for a thorough examination of the allocations.
But Standing Orders do not specify the procedure which the committees are expected to use and they borrow from procedures used in individual committees by summoning relevant government and department officials who make presentations on their requirements and proposed allocations.
According to Standing Order 151(1), the committees have powers to summon and subpoena any person to appear at a committee meeting and disclose or produce papers and records relevant to the committee’s proceedings.
But Mangani told The Nation last week that controlling officers were only expected to present to the committees what they could deliver with the resources available and highlight challenges.
On the other hand, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe has commended the committees for pointing out areas which he overlooked for possible improvement.
However, he took a swipe at government officials for reproducing budget estimates to cluster committees which were discussed before he presented the 2015/16 National Budget.
In the past, MPs have come under fire for hurriedly passing the budget without informed analysis or scrutiny of allocations as outlined in all budget documents.
It has been civil society organisations (CSOs) which have courted MPs, most times over dinner, providing sector based analysis and budget insights as soon as the budget is tabled.
