SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY STOCKTAKING EXERCISE
FOR AFRICA
INDEPENDENT BUDGET ANALYSIS & EXPENDITURE TRACKING
PROJECT
Methodology
Type
Specify whether (i)PB, (ii)IBA, (iii)BPET, or (iv) PPM (can select more than
one option as some SA initiatives do not fit neatly into these categories)
Independent budget Analysis, Budget and Public
Expenditure Tracking
Catholic Centre for Justice Development and
Peace, a Church organ promoting just society and
integral development.
Lusaka, with Parish and Diocesan (provincial
teams)
National Budge. Health and Education monitored
at local level
Budget Contributions prior to announcement of
budget, analyses after budget presentation and
throughout the year analysis of disbursements at
national level and local level.
Name of Intervention
Primary Agency Running
Intervention
Basic
Information
Location
Sector or Level of Focus
Type of Engagement
What is the driving force behind
the SA initiative?
Context and
Scope
What are the main objectives and
what key accountability problems
does it seek to address?
Who is the target audience or
demographic focus?
What is the political culture or
environment?
Tools and
Methodologies
What specific SA tools and
methodologies are being used?
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The work began in 1997 given the lack of focus on
addressing poverty issues by government. Budget
tracking began in 2000 in the face of erratic
funding seemingly based on cash allocations with
much power play. Now local teams are following
up since there is much rhetoric about poverty
reduction but not translating to any differences.
The main objective is to advocate for just
economic policies that benefit the poor. Some of
the problems include the continued poor
prioritization of expenditure with gains going
more to political offices than to social and
economic sectors that benefit the poor. Other
problems are the lack of information on budget
disbursements and poor funding.
Parliament, the Executive, Civil Society including
Church, Local Community
Democratic, weak accountability to public, media
freedom, weak parliament.
List the names of the tools and methodologies
Budget contributions done at national level. Public
forums held at which contributions are presented
to government and other citizens have chance to
engage with Minister of Finance.
Used
At local level, focus group discussions and
prioritization done to come up with district
preferences for the next budget, these are
presented to the Permanent Secretary of the
province and also sent to capital.
Post budget analyses done after budget
presentation. Forum held at which technocrats
and Finance Minster are represented.
Post Budget analyses shared with
Parliamentarians.
Workshops held for Members of Parliament. Held
for different political parties.
Briefly describe the
methodology(/ies) or tools used.
Newspaper articles written, booklets circulated to
civil society on analysis of budget.
Proposals for changes to budget submitted to
Minister for cabinet consideration.
Church hierarchy and provincial teams given info.
on budget to engage with Ministers when they
travel to disseminate the budget.
Budget training for church groups and other civil
society groups.
During the year analyses done on disbursements.
Local Justice and Peace teams tracking exercise
done throughout the year. They look at objectives
of the sectors and compare how funds are flowing
also conduct group discussions to get community’s
views.
Local teams conduct interviews with government
service providers and also find out timeliness,
adequacy and reporting mechanisms of
What advocacy and media
activities support the initiative?
How inclusive was the
intervention?
2
Meetings with Minister and Deputy ministers of
Finance, meetings with Secretary of treasury,
meetings with Budget office, Meetings with
Members of parliament. Meetings with donor
organizations. Newspaper articles, booklets
circulated, radio and TV discussions,
collaboration with other groups in initiatives.
Work done by Justice and peace teams, but work
with communities for research and public forums,
included in radio discussions.
Participation
Other Important Information or
Comments
Results and
Impact
What (if any) has been the impact
of the initiative? What have been
the incentives?
A recognition by government of input into the
budget process, a more deliberate poverty focus,
even before introduction of PRSP, e.g. increases in
allocations for welfare categories, adoption of free
education policies with accompanying grants for
schools. Increased public engagement on the
budget, e.g. some government agents calling on
collaboration in tracking fertilizer subsidy,
changes in the tax threshold for income tax.
Government inclusion of civil society groups in
formulation processes.
Is the methodology or initiative
institutionalized? Are there any
institutional linkages and
partnerships been established with
the government, parliaments,
media, NGOs, communities etc.?
Describe.
This has happened, though legal framework has
not been done. Contributions of the pre-budget are
considered and sought during formulation of next
budget. Linkages have been established with other
groups working on different issues, e.g. PRSP.
(If applicable) Has the initiative
been scaled up? Repeated?
What were the main outcomes of
the SA initiative
Bottlenecks/Problems What
difficulties did the agency or NGO
face, and how did they resolve
them. (COMMENT: This section
will yield rich insights on
innovations that can be shared.)
The provincial pre budget contributions are new
but will increase in the next year, because there
are now more relevant with activity based
budgeting.
Wider acceptance on the role of civil society in
budget and expenditure issues by government at
different levels. Public debate on expenditure
choices and patterns is now quite strong.
More discussion of expenditure choices for
reduction f poverty and wealth creation.
Slow release of information from government at
central level. At local level teams face problems
accessing info on disbursements, government
resistance, high cost, persistence in addressing
matters, linking with other groups. Inadequate
human resource. Too much of a centralized system
of government.
www.ccjdp.org.zm
Web sources
Further
References
The work is done within the Church structures by
members of justice and peace, who are themselves
poor, from different parts of the country. But their
work is in the communities that they live in.
Capacities at local level are build.
Anything that is important in the case that is not
covered in the template
Documents and Reports
Available.
Mulima Kufekisa Akapelwa
akakapelwa@zec.org.zm
Resource Persons/Contacts
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