The Role of Parliament in Budget Process Zambia’s Situation

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS The Budget Process in Zambia was guided mainly by the constitution provision and the Standing Orders Parliament’s involvement was limited to approval of the Budget through the Committee of Supply There was no Committee responsible for providing oversight on the Budget process Parliament was also mainly involved in the ex-post process of Audit through the PAC

INITIAL REFORMS Parliament established the Estimates Committee ostensibly to provide oversight on the budget implementation process The Estimates Committee was also involved in the quarterly review of the Budget Estimates Committee was Expanded to consider the Budget when presented to Parliament Expanded Committee (Ad hoc) included the Estimates Committee, All Chairpersons of Portfolio and General Purposes Committee Committee on Estimates was also responsible for considering the Money Bills Reports of the Committee on the Budget and Bills was only used to inform debate All these measures were only Stop-gap measures

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS Constitution (Amendment) was passed in 2016 Constitution mandates Parliament to enact the necessary legislation to guide the budget process The Parliamentary Budget Office has been established in readiness for the enactment of the necessary piece of legislation The Constitution provides for a consultative budget process The Budget and Planning Bill has been drafted with the input from the PBO.

CURRENT SITUATION PBO is currently operating under the Office supported by the European Union The PBO has been structured into 4 sections: Macroeconomics, Expenditure, Revenue and the Financing Subsequently, 4 officers have been employed specifically for the PBO The Estimates Committee is now being transformed in the Budget Committee The PBO provides secretariat for the Budget Committee The establishment and functions of the PBO are provided for in the draft Budgeting and Planning Bill The functions of the PBO are also provided for under the Draft Standing Orders Standing Orders have provided for Sectoral analysis by Sector Committees

ACHIEVEMENTS BY THE PBO Capacity building has been priority: 4 staff have been employed Attachment to already established Parliament Training of staff through IMF programs Training of staff in PFM at the Duke University Engagement of consultants to provide process facilitation Engagement of consultants to review PBO processes Reviewed the Standing Orders pertaining to PFM Acquired statistical software of STATA and ENVIVO

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PBO CONT’D Training of Staff on the use of the STATA and ENVIVO at the University of Zambia Produced the PFM manual Writing policy briefs Costing of Bills Unpacking of the MTEF – facilitated process Briefing of Committees on Money Bills Establishment of the web-portal on the Parliamentary website Training of Constituency Office staff on budget information dissemination, carrying out simple research e.t.c

PLANNED ACTIVITIES BY THE PBO Implement a visibility program: sensitizing various departments of Parliament, Government institutions, other stakeholders and the press Training of new MPs on basic elements of the national budget and Budget process – August Unpacking of the MTEF for the Budget Committee – September Unpacking of the National Budget; this will be a facilitated process – October Training of Committee staff on Sectoral budget analysis Engaging of interns in the PBO to assist in analysis and research (Lessons arising from networking)

CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES SOME OF THE CHALLENGES ARE: absence of the necessary legislation; standing orders are still in draft form; Limited number of staff in the PBO and office space SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE: Newly elected MPs will be an opportunity for the PBO to position itself, Collaboration and networking with other parliaments through GN-PBO, Goodwill from both management in the National Assembly of the Zambia and the Members of Parliament Goodwill from from cooperating partners and the civil society organization

CONCLUSION The PBO has been operationalized Operating in the absence of the necessary legal framework PBO staff are currently reporting to the Head of Committees department for administrative purposes New Parliament presents a major opportunity for the office to sell its services and to ensure buy-in GN-PBO continues to provide a platform exchange of information and learning for the PBO Zambia

Questions for Discussion How does the absence of the necessary legislation affect the effective work of the Parliamentary Budget Office in Zambia? How does the continued delay to approve the standing orders of Parliament affect the effective work of the PBO?  How does the limited number of staff affective the effective work of the PBO? What opportunities do the newly elected MPs present to the operations of the PBO in Zambia? How can the collaboration and networking with other parliaments through GN-PBO help improve improve the work of the PBO in Zambia? How can the PBO Zambia take advantage of the good-will by management in the National Assembly and the Members of Parliament to improve its operations?

Thank you