BILL WATCH

PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES SERIES

[24th October 2012]

Harare Public Hearing on 2013 National Budget: 25th October

The House of Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion will conduct a public hearing in Harare on the 2013 National Budget in Harare:

Date:                   Thursday 25th October

Venue:                Rainbow Towers, Harare

Time:                   2 pm

The portfolio committee spent last week holding hearings in the rest of the country. 

About the Hearing

The purpose of the hearing is set out in section 28 of the Public Finance Management Act, which states that

• the Minister of Finance may through the portfolio committee seek the views of Parliament in the preparation and formulation of the national budget
• the portfolio committee must for that purpose “conduct public hearings to elicit the opinions of as many stakeholders in the national annual budget as possible”.  

The hearing therefore gives all stakeholders – interest groups, business organisations, farmers, miners and members of the general public – an opportunity to influence the crafting of the 2013 Budget through the portfolio committee.  Public input at the hearings will be included in a report to be presented to the Minister for consideration as the 2013 Budget is put together in the Ministry.  A report will also be presented to the Parliamentary Pre-Budget Seminar in the Victoria Falls at the beginning of November.  The Minister of Finance will present the Budget in Parliament on Thursday 15th November.

All interested persons are welcome to attend the hearing, at which they will be given the opportunity to make contributions.  If you want to make oral representations, signify this to the Committee Clerk before the hearing so that he can notify the chairperson to call on you.  An oral submission is more effective if followed up in writing.  If you are making a written submission, it is advisable to take as many copies as possible for circulation at the hearing.

Written submissions and correspondence are also welcome and should be addressed to: The Clerk of Parliament, Attention: Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion. Parliament’s postal address is P.O. Box CY298 Causeway, Harare.  If delivering, please use the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue entrance to Parliament, between Second and Third Streets, Harare. 

NB: Members of the public who cannot attend meetings, including Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, can at any time send written submissions to committees by email addressed to to clerk@parlzim.gov.zw

For Further Information

For further information contact the committee clerks; Mr Chris Ratsakatika and Ms. Precious Sigauke, on the following contact numbers:  Harare 700181/252941, Mobile: 0772 428 946 and 0773 473 233,  Or by email: ratsakatikac@parlzim.gov.zw and sigaukep@parlzim.gov.zw.

Veritas makes every effort to ensure reliable information, but cannot take legal responsibility for information supplied