Bunge angered at slashing CAG office budget

MEMBERS of Parliament yesterday stepped up campaign to have the budget for the office of Controller and Auditor General (CAG) increased in the next financial year, insisting that unless the government heeds their call the war on graft and theft of public funds will not succeed.
Led by Deputy Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Hilary Aeshi (CCM-Sumbawanga Urban) the legislators said it was useless for the government to allocate a huge chunk of money into development projects with weak watchdog (CAG) to track its spending.
“CAG is the government watchdog that tracks how government institutions spend the money approved by Parliament,” said Aeshi. The MP asked the government to explain whether the CAG was its enemy, prompting it to allocate meager budget.
Though the Guardian has not been able to see the books of expenditures that show the final allocation of funds for each public office in the new budget, initially the government had allocated only Sh32.3 billion from Sh68.839 billion asked earlier by the CAG office.
But when contributing to the budget speech last weekend MP Kangi Lugola( CCM-Mwibara) said the government raised the allocation to Sh44 billion which, according to him, was still too little for the office charged with responsibility of conducting through scrutiny of public expenditures. Reports provide that during 2015/16 financial year the government allocated around Sh70billion for the office.
In his contribution yesterday, Aeshi said it was illogical for the government to allocate over Sh70 billion for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB), an institution that works on files submitted to it by CAG office. “For PCCB to operate well it needs a strong CAG office,” he intoned.
Aeshi expressed his concern over the government refusal to accept recommendations put forward to the government by the Parliamentary Budget Committee, the feelings also shared by its Chairperson Hawa Ghasia last weekend.
Hussein Bashe( CCM-Nzega) also shared similar remarks, asking the government to give explanation behind its decision to slash down the budget for the CAG office. Bashe recommended for transfer of some funds from the vote meant to purchase locomotive engines and wagons to the CAG office.
Leah Komanya, a special seats MP, threw her weight to defend the office of the CAG, saying by cutting down the budget of the watchdog, government officials fond of stealing, embezzling and misappropriating public funds will have something to celebrate about next 2016/17 financial year simply because they will not be audited thouroughly.
According to the MP, during 2015/16 financial the CAG office failed to reach some district councils to audit their books of expenditures, pointing out that if the government sticks to its gun in this new budget the situation will be worse.
“The government ought to understand that district councils are the receiving points of funds meant for development projects implemented by the local governments whereby majority of these projects are in the villages. Will the CAG be able to reach every location with this meager budget,” she asked.
The final position of the matter will definitely be known on Friday when Minister for Finance and Planning Dr Phillip Mpango will be winding up the discussion, including responding to MPs’ queries and questions.