Despite the fact that the Tanzanian government has brought in a new budget cycle, citizens are yet to be fully engaged in the budget process, it was claimed recently in Dar es Salaam. This was said by Honorable Member of Parliament (MP) Luhaga Joelson Mpina during the July Policy Forum breakfast debate at the British Council.

For quite some time now, Policy Forum has been at the forefront in advocating for an establishment of a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) in Tanzania. In many countries, PBOs are usually independent non partisan entities within the legislature that examine the draft annual budget proposed by the executive and provides analytical support to parliamentarians so as enhance their ability to question the tabled proposal and enable them to propose alternative budget proposals.  Establishment of this institution in Tanzania will significantly help the MPs in executing their oversight role.

As the Minister for Finance tables the National Budget for Financial Year 2012/13 in Parliament tomorrow, we, members of the Policy Forum Budget Working Group, representing over 100 different Civil Society Organisations working together to increase informed civil society participation in policy making, would like to make our contribution to this key process.

Who we are: We are citizens and civil society organizations from around the globe, united by the shared conviction that inclusive and open public budgets are critical to achieving a world in which all human beings enjoy their full human rights – civil, political, social, economic, cultural and environmental.

Last month Policy Forum met with the parliamentarians in Dodoma to advocate for the establishment of a Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO), an independent non-partisan entity that will help strengthen the legislature’s oversight role in the budget process.

Policy Forum and HakiElimu have urged institutions of accountability such as the legislature and the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) to become more effective in engaging in the budget process so that they can better scrutinize the budget proposals and their execution. This was said in the wake of the release of the Tanzania report of the Open Budget Index (OBI) for 2010, which will be launched tomorrow.

Finance and Economic Affairs Minister Mustafa Mkulo is this week expected to table in Parliament the  2009/10 budget estimates for the next fiscal year. Observers will be looking to see if it is development oriented, if it really is 'Agriculture First' as the theme for this year’s budget suggests, or whether it is equitable. From the Budget Guidelines, the draft briefs to Parliamentary Finance and Economy Committee (PFEC) and other sources, we are able to preview the 2009/10 budget:

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT FROM THE BUDGET?