Chairperson of SADCOPAC Hon Warren Mwambazi from Zambia (second from left, front-row), Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly Hon Dudu Murorua, pictured with SADCOPAC Office Bearers, Secretariat and Members of the PAC of National Assembly of Namibia.
Windhoek- Office Bearers from the Southern Africa Development Community Organisation of Public Accounts Committees (SADCOPAC) and Secretariat are here in Namibia for a three-day (21-23 February 2022) working visit to the Parliament of Namibia.
The aim of the visit is to discuss the role and objectives of SADCOPAC and the progress on the implementation of SADCOPAC conference resolutions adopted at the 13th SADCOPAC Annual Conference which was held in Maputo, Mozambique from 9 to 13 October 2017. It is also intended to learn the best practices from member parliaments.
The delegation is led by its Chairperson Honourble Warren Mwambazi from Zambia, who is also the Chairperson of Public Accounts Committee of that country.
At the workshop, Honourable Mwambazi said that the idea of visiting the Parliament of Namibia was discussed during several SADCOPAC Annual General Meetings.
He added that the Annual General Meeting of SADCOPAC which was held in Lilongwe Malawi on 4th November, 2021 had then tasked the newly appointed Office Bearers and SADCOPAC Secretariat to organise the program of visiting Speakers of Parliaments in member states.
In his welcoming remarks, the Chairperson of Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly of Namibia, Honourable Dudu Murorua reiterated the significance of the visit, adding that the working visit did not only seek out to exchange views and experience on good practices, but it has also offered an opportunity to collaborate in order to solve common challenges. He added that he was confident the exchange of ideas and experiences would culminate into strengthening the oversight work of parliament.
“It is our role, through the Public Account Committees to ensure that public resources approved are spent for their intended purpose. I would therefore like to reaffirm our commitment towards ensuring that the limited government resources are put to good use in addressing the social needs in the country and meeting taxpayer’s expectations of good governance. I am confident that you will share experiences, learn and engage in fruitful deliberations with all the stakeholders incorporated on the programme,” he emphasized.
SADCOPAC is an autonomous and independent association of Public Accounts Committees from SADC states established in 2003 to promote mutual support, foster the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and experiences, and act as a recognized voice of Public Accounts Committees within SADC community.
It also promotes accountability, good governance and transparency in the SADC states.
Public Accounts Committees assist parliaments to hold the governments to account for their usage of public funds and resources by examining the public accounts.
Namibia through its Parliamentary Standing Committees on Public Accounts is a member state of SADCOPAC. Hon Dudu Murorua and Hon Peter Kazongominja chairs the Public Account Committees of the National Assembly and National Council respectively.
Only 13 SADC countries have confirmed their membership to the SADCOPAC. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Madagascar are yet to confirm their membership.
The delegation is expected to have meetings with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Secretary to the National Assembly, Auditor General of Namibia, and Ministry of Finance amongst other stakeholders during its visit to the Parliament of Namibia.
SADCOPAC is also expected to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the SADC Parliament Forum here in Windhoek. The working visit ends on 23 February 2022.
