House postpones debate on Budget

Parliament has postponed debate on the government’s proposed 2013/2014 fiscal year Budget on grounds that the Auditor-General has not yet presented his 2011/12 report. Debate on the law was item number one on the afternoon’s plenary session’s order paper yesterday. Rwanda’s total domestic revenue for the next fiscal year has been estimated at Rwf994.9 billion, which is 60.2 per cent of the Rwf1.6 trillion total Budget. Speaking on a point of order, MP Francis Kaboneka told the House that under Articles 73 and 184 of the Constitution, Parliament can only debate the law determining the state finances after the Auditor-General presents a report to both chambers of Parliament. Kaboneka requested that the House adjourn briefly and consult on the matter before the session is continued. The ensuing debate and vote approved the postponement with several lawmakers strongly backing Kaboneka.The chairperson of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, Juvenal Nkusi, said: “I thank honourable Kaboneka for raising the issue. The constitution is supreme and it must be respected. The Auditor-General’s report is part of the Budget cycle. Before Parliament approves the fiscal Budget, it must also meet to be informed of how the previous year’s budget was used.” Nkusi added that all lawmakers should know how the previous budget was implemented. “My proposition is that we halt and he first presents his report to both chambers – that is when parliament will have completed its constitutional homework. We should instead request him to come and present tomorrow so that we could proceed in the appropriate manner. ” After consultation, Deputy Speaker Evariste Kalisa announced that a decision had been reached to stay debate. Kalisa announced that the Auditor-General would appear in Parliament today morning and the debate on the law determining the state finances for the 2013/2014 fiscal year would resume later in the afternoon.The Auditor-General will present to both Chambers of Parliament the report of his office for the financial year ended on June 30, 2012. In June, last year, Auditor-General, Obadiah Biraro, presented the 2010/11 audit report that indicated that government ministries and parastatals spent at least Rwf5.9 billion without supporting documents during that financial year. In the last report, expenses that lacked official justification, or partly supported expenditure, amounts to Rwf4.5 billion, compared to Rwf9.7 billion in the previous report. In the 2010/11 Auditor-General’s report, completely unsupported expenditure totalled to Rwf5.9 billion, while in the 2009/10 report, it amounted to Rwf502.7 million.

National

House postpones debate on Budget