Economists, fiscal analysts, scholars and development partners have converged in Mombasa for the the 6th Annual Conference for the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBO).

The conference themed “The role of PBOs in African Parliaments Fiscal Oversight; Contribution to the African Development Agenda”, is hosted by the Parliament of Kenya and has brought together delegates from 15 Parliamentary Budget offices across Africa and a number of development partners.

A number of speakers who addressed the opening session of the 4-day forum held that the  “Power of the Purse”  remains the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution confers to the representative of the people who can use it to redress grievances, especially in the way national resources are mobilized and allocated and accounted.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee Hon. Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), who represented the Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Moses Wetang’ula, underscored the place of legislatures in transforming societies through targeted allocation of resources to areas that have the potential to fuel economic development. 

 He  lauded Kenya’s Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) for being nominated to host this year’s annual conference for the first time, and encouraged the participants to hold robust deliberations towards enhancing Parliamentary fiscal oversight.

In his remarks read by Hon. Nyoro, Dr. Wetang’ula appreciated the steps that the Kenyan Parliament had taken towards garnering an expanded role in the budget making process. He recounted to the delegates the journey that Parliament of Kenya had undertaken towards attaining a more visible role in the all-important function in the budget making process. 

“A review of the Standing Orders in 2008 re-organized the procedure of budget approval in Parliament allowing the Legislature to undertake a more visible role in budget making. The promulgation of the new Constitution in 2010 and the passing into law of the Public Finance Management Act, in 2012, further entrenched the role of Parliament in the budget making process with the Legislature’s ‘power of the purse’gaining more prominence”, recounted Dr. Wetang’ula.

Dr. Wetang’ula also extolled the Parliamentary Budget Officers for their great support to the legislators as they undertake their oversight and budget making role.

“Since the establishment of the Parliamentary Budget office, the contribution of Members of Parliament to public discourse-as well as in Plenary Sessions of the House on matters of the National Budget and economic policy has become more and more sophisticated, to the extent that the Executive now listens to and incorporates their feedback into the country’s policy decisions.”

On his part, the Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee Hon. Ndindi Nyoro, emphasized the need for strong functioning institutions that will prohibit the kind of resource challenges encountered in Africa. 

He expressed concerns over the runaway debt accrued by African countries which is largely attributed to inclusion of deficit in the budget projections. He cautioned against modeling Africa’s debt management strategies along that of their first world counterparts, noting huge disparities between the two.

He urged delegates to support their legislatures deliver budgets that are commensurate with their revenue portfolios. He called on the officers to advise on innovative strategies that are capable of generating internal revenues without hurting their economies.

The Chairperson of the AN-PBO and the PBO Director, Parliament of South Africa, Dr. Dumisani Jantjies revealed that the network is gearing towards providing alternative analysis on the African economy given the growing independence of Parliamentary Budget Offices. 

He observed that PBO Officers are better placed to generate economic ratings as compared to external institutions as they are not only involved in the budget making process, but they’re also in touch with all stakeholders in this process.

“We as a network of African PBOs want to develop capacity that allows us to provide a different view point on our economies from a factual point of view. This is because we are on the ground. For far too long, we have had external institutions generate analysis for us yet they do not have the kind of insights that we have because we closely interact with all stakeholders”, held Dr. Jantjies.

The Clerk of the Senate and the Secretary, Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) Mr. Jeremiah Nyegenye, called on PBO officials to work closely with Legislators to help Parliaments across the Continent to make effective budget and economic policy.

While making his remarks, the Clerk of the National Assembly Mr. Samuel Njoroge highlighted that the Budget making process is regarded as complex and technical, hence the need for the PBO officers to simplify the content for legislators, who are drawn from different areas of expertise. He called on the officers to provide alternative innovations to the Executive as opposed to just offering criticism to projected Estimates. 

“As PBO officers, you take on the pivotal role of “midwives” who simplify the process to your respective Legislators, who are subsequently able to not only understand their mandates but also better use the budget as a tool to ensure that aspirations and concerns of the citizens whom they represent,are taken into consideration when making the budget.”

In the coming days, the Conference will focus on the Global Economic Outlook and enhancing financial transparency and governance.