Julius Mukunda, Executive Director Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG)
A section of Civil Society Organizations have asked Government to halt the full implementation of the famed Parish Development Model (PDM) and rather have it tried in two districts before it is rolled out to other parts of the country.
The call was made by Julius Mukunda, Executive Director Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG) while appearing before Parliament’s Budget Committee to submit their position on the National budget framework paper for the financial year 2022/2023.
Mukunda informed MPs that although the Parish Development Model is a very good idea, the country isn’t yet ready to implement this project because there are many things that are still missing like training of parish chiefs.
He warned that if this money is sent to parishes, it is likely to be stolen.
Mukunda said: “The Parish Development Model is a very good idea, but we aren’t ready to roll it. The departments are so slow in terms of ensuring that each and every piece of information required is in place. As of today, we don’t have the parish chiefs, so if you send money, what is going to happen?”
He proposed to have the Parish Development Model piloted in a few districts in the first year as the government organizes itself to implement the program.
“Government needs to invest in the preparedness of the model. Each of the parish must have a parish chief. The Parish Development Committee must be up and functioning to receive the money and they must be trained and educated on how this money must be utilized. If we send money when they aren’t prepared, I can assure you that money will be lost,” warned Mukunda.
CSBAG is also calling for the enactment of a national law for a standard government price list for goods and services, arguing that the unit cost of goods and services within government ministries, departments, agencies and Local government vary yet the quality and standards are in most cases the same, something he said has led to wastage of resources and low quality assurance.
He said that in order to improve value for money and equitable distribution of services in the country and reduce corruption, parliament must demand for an annual national pricelist from PPDA that should regularly be updated, audited and enforced by the government.
During the interface, CSBAG also informed Parliament that there are 61 agencies without strategic plans which explains why Parliament is flooded with endless Supplementary requests.
According to the statement from Mukunda, only 81 MDAs have submitted and approved plans, while 16 MDAs have submitted their Strategic Plans but not yet been approved, while 10 entities submitted their plans and are under review while 61 strategic plans are not yet submitted to National planning authority which affects the foundation of planning and budgeting.
Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East) asked the Committee to ensure that the 61 MDAS that have not yet submitted strategic plans have their budgets rejected because there is no basis to have their budgets approved yet there is no plan their base on to budget for funds.
“This is where the Committee should start biting. These 61 MDAs that have no strategic plans, imply that they literally have no business to exist. So these are MDAs we should deny funds and allocate to those with strategic plans,” said Niwagaba.
Mukunda added that although the Ministry of Finance has alluded to controlling supplementary expenditure in the next financial year, there are no indications in the national budget framework paper of the practice ending soon.
