PARLIAMENTARIANS say they are doing everything as per their legislative duties to push for the enforcement of law and stiff penalties for those abusing public funds.
Speaking at an Auditor-General (AG)’s report analysis meeting convened by Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development yesterday, the legislators said lack of a strong legal mandate clearly defining oversight powers was among the reasons behind previous reports turning out to be a pie in the sky.
Last week, the AG’s office released a damning report dominated by governance issues, something that has been prevalent in all reports submitted over the last five years.
According to the audit findings, of the 92 local authorities in Zimbabwe, only 19 had up-to-date financials as of December 2023, slightly up from only 17 up-to-date financial statements submitted in 2022.
Last year, 27 ministries had arrear payments totalling ZWL$2,9 trillion and US$577 million with no evidence that the ministries did not periodically report unsupported budgets to Treasury.
Caston Matewu, who was representing Public Accounts Committee chairperson Charlton Hwende, said they had been examining the financial affairs and accounts of government departments and local authorities as mandated by the law.
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“Our job is to bring the entities to account and the law enforcement (agency) should take action if there is need,” he said.
“We also give recommendations, we call these people to come and account for the funds.”
Matewu said the committee had been examining the AG’s report over the past weeks and was optimistic action would be taken against those found on the wrong side of the law.
Energy Mutodi, chairperson of the Portifolio Committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, said there was need for a review of the Urban Councils Act and the Rural Councils Act to facilitate answerability within local authorities.
“There is need for a review of our laws like the Urban Councils Act and the Rural Councils Act to improve accountability in councils,” he said.
“We also need new laws that can guide on the timeous of the AG’s considering some of the audit findings would have been overtaken by reports (sic).”
Mutodi said citizens were free to petition Parliament in cases where the AG would have issued a disclaimer.
Fatima Miti, director for finance in the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe and Netsai Dzenga, from the Association of Rural District Council, said not all local authorities were performing badly.
They said there were a number of issues that could have jeopardised the financial affairs of local authorities, including multiple reporting arrangements coupled with lack of financial autonomy within councils.
Combined Harare Residents Association director Reuben Akili bemoaned the lack of law enforcement when there is evident proof in the form of the AG’s report.
“These issues have been like that for years and nothing is done whenever the Auditor-General releases a report with such damning findings,” he said.
“It’s time for those found on the wrong side of the law to get arrested.”
Akili said the devolution fund was just a pie in the sky as it had failed to fulfil its constitutional mandate.
Socio-economic justice activist Mukasiri Sibanda said an audit was necessary for a number of reasons, including showing that the government had lost control, adding that it also acted as a benchmark of good governance.
He equated an audit to a health checklist.