NATIONAL BUDGET TO BE DEBATED IN A NEW STYLE -MSOWOYA

The just presented 2014/15 national budget by Minister of finance Goodall Gondwe will not be debated as per tradition as it will first be scrutinized through cluster committees.

National Assembly Speaker Richard Msowoya disclosed this on Monday during the opening of parliament.

Msowoya told the house that nine cluster committees have been formed and that each has been allocated a number of votes for members to thoroughly scrutinise.

The new arrangement is in line with new parliamentary standing order 137(2) which states that after motion of budget has been moved, the debate shall be adjourned for ten working days to allow for thorough examinations of the estimates by parliamentary committees.

“The Business Committee and Legal Affairs Committee at its meeting resolved last Friday that the days be reduced to 5. The process of scrutinising will start on Wednesday and thereafter the Finance and Budget Committee will table a report in the House on the budget and recommendations from the cluster committees,” said Msowoya.

Some of the cluster committees include, Agriculture and Irrigation, Health/ HIV and Nutrition, education, International Relations , Transport and Infrastructure and Legal Affairs Committee.

Msowoya also disclosed that parliament will meet for five weeks up to October 3.