Compiled by Tafara Chiremba and Batanai Mutasa

The role of parliamentarians is pivotal, especially when it comes to sustainable management of national resources and ensuring responsible financial practices. To shed light on the national budget making processes and the Finance Bill to equip legislators with crucial insights into their fiscal oversight roles, the Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association – this week – convened a workshop for the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion.

Highlighting the importance of informed parliamentary action in the management of natural resource revenues, the workshop aimed to achieve the following specific objectives:

• To increase knowledge and understanding of parliamentarians on the national budget making processes and Parliamentary oversight roles.
• To empower legislators with information that the way the 2025 National Budget and the Finance Bill address issues will have a bearing on the management of natural resources revenues.
• To proffer recommendations and areas of questions or debates which can be pursued by parliamentarians as part of their oversight and legislative roles on the National Budget and Finance Bill.

Key insights and comments on the National Budget and the Finance Bill

• The National Budget and the Finance Bill focus on generating more revenue from growing industries including the mining sector but there is need for balance to ensure taxes are not too high to scare away investors. The new tax measures proposed to raise more revenues from the mining sector include charging royalties on all  minerals, and mineral bearing products . This means more and effective parliament oversight is needed to ensure that the mineral revenues are reported  and accounted for. 
• There is need to strengthen the oversight and legislative roles of parliament on the Finance Bill which is critical in terms of legislating the proposed revenue mobilisation measures, including measures to promote transparency and accountability in the awarding of mining contracts. The current situation points to the fact that more discussion and oversight roles of parliamentarians focus more on allocations.
• There is need for parliamentarians to play their roles so that there is transparency and accountability in the process of awarding of mining contracts, licences and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to increase public financial management of natural resources revenues in the national budget.
• While it is a positive step that the Finance Bill introduces tax measures aimed at generating revenue designated for specific programs, there is a notable absence of sufficient ringfencing legislation and oversight to guarantee that the collected funds are truly directed toward their intended purposes.
• Whilst allocations to specific ministries are done through the national budget, there is a huge problem of disbursements. Parliament needs to effectively play its oversight role so that problems associated with disbursements are resolved.
• The Budget and Finance Committee thanked ZELA for organising the capacity building workshop on the Finance Bill and they want ZELA to continue support parliamentarians to effectively play their oversight, legislative roles on the National Budget especially on the public management of natural resources revenues.

Continued Support from ZELA

The Budget and Finance Committee expressed gratitude to ZELA for organizing the workshop and emphasized the need for ongoing support. Continued collaborative efforts are essential to empower parliamentarians in their oversight and legislative roles, particularly concerning the public management of natural resource revenues.

Conclusion

The workshop paved the way for a more informed and engaged parliamentary approach to the National Budget and Finance Bill. By enhancing knowledge, fostering transparency, and encouraging robust oversight, parliamentarians can play a crucial role in ensuring that natural resource revenues are managed effectively. As we move forward, the collaboration between legislators and organizations like ZELA will be vital in promoting good governance and responsible financial management in our nation.