Parliament set to create public accounts watchdog

PARLIAMENT - The National Parliament is planning to establish a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) before the end of this year. The decision was made by the Lower House of Parliament to harmonize the system with the other East African Community (EAC) member states and will take effect after Parliamentary elections slated for September. “After several decades of misrule, war and Genocide, Rwanda has endeavoured to carry out major legal and institutional reforms to enhance good governance. This included the establishment of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) for effectiveness and efficiency,” said Constance Mukayuhi Rwaka, a member of parliament. She was speaking during the third Eastern African Association of Public Accounts Committees (EAAPAC) summit in Kampala. Rwaka added that the activities of the PAC in Rwanda are presently carried out by the budget committee and the OAG. “Despite the fact that the budget committee and the OAG have been able to carry out duties otherwise meant for the committee, it is equally important to establish PAC and harmonize with the other EAC member states. We are also in the process of harmonizing the budget presentation and other laws.” she added. Currently the three founder members of the East African Community; Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania have a uniform date for presentation of the Budget. The PAC is responsible for overseeing government expenditures to ensure transparency and accountability in state finances. The theme of the Kampala was; “The challenges facing contemporary Public Accounts Committees in enhancing accountability in the use of public resources in the Eastern African Region.” Other participants at the Conference came from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Zanzibar, Northern and Southern Sudan, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia and Development Agencies such as the World Bank, UNDP, and DFID among others. The summit focused on sharing experiences and best practices in promoting good governance and accountability among member states. EAAPAC was established in 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya. It was established to foster accountability and good governance in a region that has been plagued by corruption and poor accountability of public funds. Ends