CAG, Parliament tussle could weaken transparency, accountability, Wajibu warns
What you need to know:
- Tanzania could face deterioration of accountability and transparency, if the tussle between the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Parliament continues.
Dar es Salaam. The Institute of public Accountability (Wajibu) has warned that an ongoing tussle between the Parliament and Controller and Auditor General (CAG), Professor Musa Assad, could impede transparency and accountability in the country.
The institute was responding to a recent motion by the National Assembly to not work with Professor Assad, whom they accused of ‘showing disrespect to the Parliament.”
Prof Assad’s troubles begun when he gave an interview late last year in which he suggested failure by the House to act on some of his recommendations betrayed the MPs “weakness.”
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In a statement, Wajibu said that the standoff between the two sides does not sit well with accountability.
The institute’s board says that according to article 143 (4) of the constitution of United Republic of Tanzania, and section 34 (2) of the National Audit Act No 11 of 2008, the President will direct the presentation of CAG report during the first session of the parliament which is held after he has received the report within seven days.
“Wajibu hopes that apart from the tussle, the CAG report for 2017/18 will reach the public on time in accordance with the law, so that they can be discussed by various accountability stakeholders in the country,” says the board in the statement.
Wajibu said the CAG presented his report to the President as required in article 143 (4) of the constitution and section 34 (1) of the National Audit Act 2008.
“Wajibu believes that there is no article of the constitution and any section of the audit law which was violated during the presentation of the report to the President by the office of the CAG,” it said.
