EALA has today debated and approved the motion to resolve itself into Committees of Ways and Means and Supply to consider and approve the Financial Statement for 2013/14 and the revised estimates of expenditure respectively.
This follows the Budget Speech presented by the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers and Minister of State for East African Community Affairs, Uganda, Hon. Shem Bageine last week.
The Budget estimates for the Financial Year 2013/2014 totals $130,429,394. The 2013/2014 Budget down from $140million in the previous Financial Year, prioritizes on consolidating the Common Market; completion of negotiations and movement towards the East African Monetary Union Protocol; investment promotion and private sector development; co-operation in cross-border infrastructure; enhancing the extractive and processing industries; implementation of the critical activities of EAC Food Security and the mainstreaming of policies, programmes and projects related to gender.
The Chair of the Council has meanwhile undertaken to correct fundamentals that were considered weak in the budgeting process within the next six months of implementation. They include observance of the Budget Act 2008, streamlining and taking control of the budget process and furthering the objective of a people-centred economy by spending more time in the EAC capital of Arusha.
The EAC is also expected to increase the Sitting days up by 20 to a total of 80 days. The amount necessary to enable the Assembly carry out its legislative work is USD 680,000 and Minister Bageine has assured the House the Council shall find ways to accommodate the increment into the current budget.
The Budget is allocated to the Organs and Institutions of the EAC as follows; East African Community Secretariat ($69,787,824), East African Legislative Assembly ($13,089,982) and the East African Court of Justice ($4,279,489). The Inter-University Council for East Africa shall receive $ 9,692,785 while $ 3,203,042 is earmarked for the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization.
Presenting the Budget estimates last week, the Council Chairperson, Hon Bageine had noted that among the identified priority areas, were interventions in the Customs Union leading to establishment of a single customs territory. Hon. Bageine observed that the single customs territory “will crystallize the gains of integration characterized by minimal internal border controls and a more efficient institutional mechanism in clearing goods”.
The Assembly later received the Report of the Committee on General Purpose on the EAC budget estimates of revenue and expenditure for the financial year 2013/2014. The Report presented by Dr. Martin Nduwimana commends the Council of Ministers for the dedicated and commendable efforts towards realization of the integration agenda.
At the same time, the Committee suggests that meetings, conferences and consultancies should be rationalized and project salaries be harmonized across board. The Assembly was also informed that there lacks a comprehensive and effective strategy with regards to the facilitation of sensitisation of the people of East Africa.
It thus avers on the need to strengthen the Corporate and Communications Department at the EAC and to create linkages with the Partner States departments and media sectors. The Media Centre at the EAC needs to be strengthened by engaging additional permanent staff and ensuring equipment.
The General Purpose Committee is also of the view that continued donor dependence may divert the EAC from its priorities which are on the four pillars of integration. This state, Dr. Nduwimana asserts, should be re-examined by the Partner States.
Other challenges that need addressing; include weak supervision of the Community by the Council of Ministers, perceived misplacement of training of staff and resource mobilization within the Secretary General’s Office, curtailing of excessive travel and the urgent need to finalize the institutional review exercise.
The FY 2013/2014 Budget is to be financed by Partner State contributions through the Ministries of EAC ($37,297,442); Partner States through other agencies ($7,249,252); Development Partners support ($85,676,850); and other income ($205,850).
During debate, Hon Jacqueline Muhongayire urged the EAC to expedite the alternative financing mechanism for recurrent and development expenditure. ‘I seek the intervention of the Council of Ministers to update us at every Plenary Sitting on the progress’, the legislator remarked.
Hon Shy-Rose Bhanji called for enhanced sensitisation and creation awareness especially in the rural areas. The legislator said budget implications were a major challenge and called for a short-list of the priority areas. She called for deeper inward analysis of the Partner States in readiness for the entry of the Monetary Union.
Hon Susan Nakawuki remarked that funding constraints meant the Committee responsible was not able to carry out its oversight activities in time. She noted that many critical areas were underfunded. The youth for example which constitute the largest percentage of East Africans lacked adequate funds to carry out the programmes.
"In 2012/13 no money was allocated to the youth while prior to that period, a meager 2000 USD was allocated but with zero utilization" she said.
The same applies to the Monitoring and Evaluation Department which has no budgets yet it has a fundamental part to play. She noted that the formation of the Youth Councils were long overdue. The legislator noted that while the Community left the budget process to the Finance and Administration Committee, the said committee had no legal backing.
Hon Valerie Nyirahabineza however alluded to a disconnect in the speech noting that activities referred to in the budget speech did not match with the resources indicated. Some of the key activities in the social and productive sectors and the women issues are left out” she noted. ‘We trust that the Chairperson shall source for funding within 6 months. We shall judge you after the period’, the legislator remarked.
Others who rose to deliberate on the motion were Hon Abubakar Zein Abubakar, Hon Pierre Rwigema, Hon Isabelle Ndahayo, Hon Abdulkarim Harelimana. Hon Judith Pareno, Hon Christophe Bazivamo and Hon Adam Kimbisa.
Those who opposed the motion were Hon Yves Nsabimana and Hon Peter Mathuki who requested for more work to be put into the budget before it was approved.
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For more information, contact: Bobi Odiko, Senior Public Relations Officer; East African Legislative Assembly; Tel: +255-27-2508240 Cell: +255 787 870945, +254-733-718036; Email: bodiko@eachq.org Web: https://www.eala.org Arusha, Tanzania
