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PAC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS: KEY TO EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY

PAC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS: KEY TO EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY. Simbarashe Mashonganyika Programme Coordinator Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST). PRESENTATION OUTLINE. SAPST summary, Parliamentary Reforms in Zimbabwe,

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PAC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS: KEY TO EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY

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  1. website: www.sapst.org PAC RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS: KEY TO EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY Simbarashe Mashonganyika Programme Coordinator Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST)

  2. website: www.sapst.org PRESENTATION OUTLINE • SAPST summary, • Parliamentary Reforms in Zimbabwe, • Constraints to PAC Effectiveness • Responsibilities of CSOs • Relationships between PAC and CSOs

  3. website: www.sapst.org SAPST Summary • Independent indigenous parliamentary strengthening trust that commenced operations on 18 October 2008 VISION • A leader in strengthening Parliaments to be accessible, independent, representative and effective in executing their constitutional mandate MISSION: • Provision of technical support to strengthen parliamentary processes and public participation in the legislative process for good governance and accountability . website: www.sapst.org

  4. website: www.sapst.org SAPST Summary Contd… • Programmes: • Internally focused programmes (Zimbabwe): • Parliamentary strengthening; • Facilitation of civic society, and other stakeholders’ engagement of Parliaments; • Strengthen media coverage of parliament business; • Externally focused (Regional i.e. SADC region) a platform for legislators to share experiences in SADC region and beyond; (SADC Association of Parliamentary Budget Committees)

  5. website: www.sapst.org Parliamentary Reforms in Zimbabwe • PRE-REFORM ERA: • No well organised committee system; • Limited scope for Parliament’s participation and input into the national budget; • Little or no input of civil society in the budget process; website: www.sapst.org

  6. website: www.sapst.org Parliamentary Reforms in Zimbabwe Contd… • RE-ENGINEERED ROLE: • Reforms started during the 5th Parliament; • Assertion of Parliament’s role in the entire budget process, Portfolio Committee System introduced; • Participation of NGOs remained subdued. website: www.sapst.org

  7. website: www.sapst.org Stakeholders in the Accountability Framework • The Executive (subject); • Comptroller & Auditor General (SAI) • Parliament (PAC); • Watch dog organisations e.g. Anti-corruption Commissions, etc; • Civil Society Organisations; • Media, etc. website: www.sapst.org

  8. website: www.sapst.org Constraints to PAC Effectiveness • Inadequately resourced: (supporting staff and financially); • Partisanship structure of the Committee; • Deficiency of political will to support implementation of findings; and • Lack of appropriate, analytic skills and research capacity; website: www.sapst.org

  9. website: www.sapst.org Constraints to PAC Effectiveness Contd… • Weak legal framework; • Follow up on government action in response to its recommendations; • Limited engagement with the public; and • Inadequate follow up on audit recommendations. website: www.sapst.org

  10. website: www.sapst.org Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) • a sector of not for profit organisations, that has become increasingly important over the past few decades in terms of its participation in the development, governance and public finance management processes; • significantly contributes to the debate service delivery, public accountability and democracy. website: www.sapst.org

  11. website: www.sapst.org Roles of CSOs • Sponsoring capacity building programmes for Parliament; • Provide evidence during PAC enquiries; • Mechanism of disseminating information, findings and recommendations; • Play critical investigative and informational roles; • Have networks and expertise to detect potential cases of corruption. website: www.sapst.org

  12. website: www.sapst.org Roles of CSOs Contd… • Exert pressure on politicians to improve individual conduct and public service delivery; • Simplify budget information into user-friendly packages for MPs; • A conduit for channeling views of marginalized section of the community website: www.sapst.org

  13. website: www.sapst.org Relationship between PAC and CSOs • Independent of the State ; • Based on mutual understanding between Parliament and CSOs; • Framework of engagement and modalities thereon agreed upon by Parliament and CSOs; • Oversight of the government’s / executive’s actions; • Watching formulation and implementation of public policy; and • Mediation and helping in conflict resolution. website: www.sapst.org

  14. website: www.sapst.org Relationship between PAC and CSOs Contd... • Through analysis and dissemination activities, CSOs assist theParliament to reinforce channels of accountability, possible through active engagement with PAC and pursue the findings of AG; • Analysis of CAG reports; • Parliament may make key budgetary information open to citizens includingfindings of AG and PAC website: www.sapst.org

  15. website: www.sapst.org Constraints to Effective Relationships • Absence of appropriate policy framework for engagement; • Most CSOs do not know how to access Parliament; • Few CSOs have parliamentary strengthening programmes; • Mistrust between Parliament and CSOs. website: www.sapst.org

  16. website: www.sapst.org Conclusion • Develop synergies between CSOs and PAC -; • Create a conducive environment for establishment of relationship; and • CSOs should capacitate PAC materially and technically.

  17. website: www.sapst.org THE END THANK YOU website: www.sapst.org

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