Parliament on Tuesday, 25 November, 2024 commenced the Mid-Year Budget Review Meeting for the 2024/2025 Financial Year. The Meeting, which will run up to December 20, 2024, aims to review the performance of this year’s budget implementation for the last six months.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Right Honourable Catherine Gotani Hara, MP, welcomed Honourable Members to the Meeting, emphasising the importance of reviewing the budget implementation. She also highlighted the need to tackle other crucial business, including new Bills and outstanding business items from previous Meetings.
In her communication, Speaker Gotani Hara announced that His Excellency the President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera assented to 11 Bills that were passed by Parliament during its last Meeting of Parliament. The Bills include:
- Bill No. 13 of 2024: International Development Association (Additional Financing for Malawi Governance to Enable Service Delivery Project) (Authorisation)
- Bill No. 14 of 2024: International Development Association (Digital Malawi Acceleration Project Under the Inclusive Digitalization in Eastern and Southern Africa Multi-Phase Programmatic Approach Program) (Authorisation and Ratification)
- Bill No. 15 of 2024: International Development Association (Malawi Health Emergency Preparedness Response and Resilience Project (Authorisation and Ratification)
- Bill No. 16 of 2024: International Development Association (Malawi Fiscal Governance Program for Results) (Authorisation)
- Bill No. 12 of 2024: Irrigation
- Bill No. 17 of 2024: Real Estate Management
- Bill No. 18 of 2024: Sectional Titles
- Bill No. 19 of 2024: Property Valuation
- Bill No. 20 of 2024: Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
- Bill No. 21 of 2024: National Arts and Heritage
The Mid-Year Budget Review Meeting follows the successful Parliament Week, held from November 18 to 22, 2024, which aimed to raise awareness about Parliament’s functions and operations. The week featured various activities, including a vibrant parade, pavilions, and a historic sitting outside the Chamber at Dedza Stadium.
During the Mid-Year Budget Review Meeting, the House will consider Ministerial Statements, Subsidiary Legislation, Questions to Ministers for Oral Replies, and Private Members Business.
The Honourable Minister of Finance will present the 2024/2025 Mid-Year Budget Review Statement on Friday, November 29, 2024.
The Meeting will also prioritise Private Members’ Business, including constituency statements, petitions, and motions. The Business Committee has agreed to consider outstanding business items, including ministerial statements, questions, petitions, and constituency statements.
Meanwhile, Minister of Transport and Public Works, Honourable Jacob Hara, took the floor on the firstly day and presented a ministerial statement on the status of road infrastructure in the country.
