LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Members of Parliament (MPs) in partnership with Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) on Saturday engaged on budget scrutiny training workshop which also incorporated oversight roles.

Speaking during the opening ceremony of the workshop, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Madalitso Kazombo said he expected MPs to share their insights, experiences, and best practices in this field during the engagement.

The workshop which had a panel of experts from the UK House of Commons, and the Scottish Parliament as well as local experts from the Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) was an opportunity for MPs to attain more experience in oversight and budget scrutiny.

Kazombo said, “the workshop seeks to strengthen its understanding of the importance of the budget process to members and parliamentary staff as well as help them to learn best practice from around the Commonwealth.”

Kazombo explained that the budget which is often referred to as the financial blueprint of a nation’s economy, is also a cornerstone of governance as It determines how public resources are allocated.

“Parliamentary oversight of the budget is not merely a formality as it is a crucial mechanism for upholding the principles of good governance and safeguarding the interests of citizens,” He said.

The Deputy Speaker added the workshop will empower the people by fulfilling the mandate of parliamentarians as representatives of the people by ensuring that their voices are heard and needs are reflected in the national budget.

He therefore encourage each participant to actively participate in the seminar and engage critically to enhance their knowledge and strengthen their capacities and reaffirm their commitment to the principles of democratic governance.

In his remarks, Programs Manager for commonwealth, Clive Barker said some of the areas that will be tackled were responsibilities of both staffs and parliamentarians on how they can engage the other organizations on budget scrutiny.

Barker said the Significant of other stakeholders is to ensure the scrutiny budget project is successful.