Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lesotho Members of Parliament (MPs) attended the Joint Sitting session of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum (PF) to
finalize the Model Law on Public Financial Management (PFM). These developments unfolded during the SADC PF from Wednesday to Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa.
According to the SADC, this model law is envisaged to “heighten parliamentary oversight and boost transparency, openness as well as efficiency in the use of public
funds in the region. ” The meeting highlighted the regulatory gaps that the SADC countries’ Public Accounts Committee come short of enforcement powers.
SADC PF Secretary General Boemo Sekgoma observed that: “There are several legal and regulatory gaps across the SADC region that undermine the legislature,
budgetary and oversight functions of Parliaments, therefore putting at the risk, notion of sound public financial management and thus threatening the very existence
of democratic institutions. “It is trite that good governance, sound PFM, the absence of corruption and rule of law are concepts which are inextricably linked and dissociable in the
contemporary context. Around the world, it is well established that poor PFM can swiftly become a symptom of a failing democracy. ” It was at this joint sitting that the Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance and
Investment (TIFI) unanimously elected, in Lesotho, the Movement for Economic Change (MEC) Deputy Leader Hon. Tšepang Tšita-Mosena as its chairperson, deputized by Botswana.
TIFI handles all matters related to economic cooperation, industry and trade, mining, finance and investment and regional integration. The Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights (DGHR) unanimously
elected Zimbabwe, deputized by Lesotho (Mount Moorosi MP, Hon. Ntšalla Mafa. DGHR handles democratisation and governance issues including open, transparent
and accountable governance, democracy, political participation including elections, security, peace and stability on the basis of collective responsibility, rule
of law, human rights, and conflict resolution. Both Basotho women elected were part of the Lesotho delegation, together with Hon. Lekhetho Mosito (Likhetlane MP), Hon.
Mphosi Nkhase (Pela-Tšoeu MP) and Hon. Senator Ramoqai Peete. The SADC PF is expected to hold consultations with relevant stakeholders within the 15 Member States.
Some of those stakeholders are Ministries responsible for finance, Auditors General, Revenue Authorities, Attorneys General, financial intelligence units, prosecutors, police and civil society organisations.
Established in September 1997, the SADC PF is a result of the SADC Article 9 (2) of the SADC Treaty by the Heads of State and Government’s Summit in Malawi. It is mandated to facilitate dialogue on the region’s issues of “interest and concern”.
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