The accountability committees of Parliament have initiated a change in their procedure for scrutinizing the Auditor General’s Report on the Treasury Memoranda. This shift moves away from the previous practice of submitting the report to the Office of the Speaker for review.
The revised process now involves the tabling of the Report on the Treasury Memoranda directly in Parliament, where it will subsequently be referred to the relevant accountability committees. Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa announced this change during a plenary sitting on October 31, 2023.
This decision was reached following a meeting chaired by Deputy Speaker Tayebwa, which included representatives from the Office of the Auditor General, the Chairperson of the Committee on Rules and Privileges, and Parliament’s technical staff. It was determined that scrutinizing the Auditor General’s Report on the Treasury Memoranda within the open forum of Parliament was necessary to complete the audit cycle.
Tayebwa emphasized that transparency and accountability are fundamental. He explained that the new procedure allows for open scrutiny of the report in Parliament, ensuring that recommendations from past reports adopted by Parliament are effectively addressed. If any recommendations are not acted upon, a mechanism will be established to ensure follow-up on these matters.
The Auditor General welcomed this decision, recognizing that it would help address the issue of recurring accountability concerns.
Deputy Speaker Tayebwa referenced Rule 221 of the Rules of Procedure, which mandates the Auditor General to manage the Report on the Treasury Memoranda. He also mentioned the need for further reforms in the functioning of accountability committees, as several shortcomings have been identified.
Tayebwa proposed standardizing the processing of Auditor General’s reports by appending the audit handbook of Parliament to the Rules of Procedure. This move aims to ensure that chairpersons of accountability committees follow a standardized approach in handling reports, ultimately resulting in more substantial and effective reports.
Hon. Henry Musasizi, the Minister of State for Finance in Charge of General Duties, praised the change as a step in the right direction.
Additionally, Hon. Geofrey Macho, an independent representative from Busia Municipality, noted that this development would support the chairpersons of accountability committees in their efforts to work effectively and meet their deadlines.
