By Moses Magadza in Gaborone, Botswana

Parliamentary clerks and financial oversight experts from across Africa convened in Botswana for the 9th Professional Development Seminar of the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SoCATT) Africa Region, to explore ways to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of public finances and reinforce accountability in governance.

Held from 9 to 13 March 2026, the five-day seminar brought together parliamentary administrators, budget analysts and public finance specialists under the theme, “Parliaments and Public Finance Management: Fostering Transparency and Accountability.”

The event was organised under the framework of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region and its professional body, SoCATT Africa, and hosted by the National Assembly of Botswana.

Throughout the seminar, delegates examined the evolving role of parliaments in overseeing national budgets, ensuring fiscal discipline and strengthening institutional frameworks that safeguard the prudent management of public resources.

Calls for stronger oversight

Opening the seminar, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana, Hon. Dithapelo Lefoko Keorapetse, urged African parliaments to intensify oversight of public finances and ensure that budget processes remain transparent and accountable to citizens.

“Public funds are the people’s trust in our collective future. How we manage, monitor, and report on those funds determines whether that trust endures or erodes,” the Speaker said.

He encouraged parliaments to deepen scrutiny of national budgets by examining fiscal sustainability, assessing whether spending delivers value for money, and evaluating the long-term impact of public expenditure on citizens.

“We should frame each answer with data, where available, and consider the long-term impact on citizens,” he told delegates.

The Speaker emphasised that effective oversight depends on professional parliamentary administrations and strong institutional systems. He described parliamentary clerks as the “quiet engines” that sustain legislative processes through their procedural expertise and institutional knowledge.

“A parliament’s effectiveness depends on professional clerks and on platforms that connect them to best practices,” he sai, highlighting the importance of seminars such as the SoCATT gathering in strengthening institutional capacity.

Speaker Keorapetse also encouraged parliaments to establish Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs) to support legislators with independent and specialised analysis of government budgets. He noted that several African legislatures, including Kenya and South Africa, had already taken this step and indicated that Botswana was exploring the possibility of establishing its own.

Stewardship of public funds

In welcoming delegates, Clerk of the National Assembly of Botswana, Dr Gabriel Malebang, emphasised that sound public finance management lies at the core of democratic governance.

“Public finance management lies at the very heart of democratic accountability,” he said.

He added, “Through sound planning, allocation, utilisation, and reporting of public resources, governments translate policy into services and development into real opportunities for citizens.”

Malebang reminded participants that public funds ultimately belong to citizens and must therefore be managed with the highest standards of integrity.

“Every public fund represents the trust and sacrifice of the people and demands stewardship grounded in transparency, discipline, and accountability,” he said.

The Clerk stressed that while Members of Parliament hold the constitutional mandate to scrutinise government spending, parliamentary administrations provide the technical backbone that enables legislatures to fulfil this role effectively.

“As Clerks and parliamentary officers, much of our work takes place behind the scenes, yet it is foundational to the effective functioning of our legislatures,” he said.

He noted that parliamentary staff support committees such as Public Accounts Committees by ensuring adherence to parliamentary procedures, facilitating documentation, and following up on audit findings.

Malebang also warned that parliamentary oversight is becoming increasingly complex as public finance systems evolve and citizens demand greater transparency.

“Public finance is becoming increasingly complex, fiscal risks are expanding, and citizens are demanding greater openness, clearer reporting, and stronger accountability,” he observed.

SADC PF hails clerks

Delivering a partnership goodwill message, Secretary General of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Ms Boemo Sekgoma, highlighted the crucial role of clerks in safeguarding parliamentary integrity and strengthening oversight of public finances.

She described clerks as custodians of parliamentary procedure and institutional memory whose work ensures that legislatures operate according to the rule of law.

“The procedural discipline exhibited by Clerks at the Table, who fearlessly and rigorously stick to rules of law, inclusive of the standing orders, constitutes the very bedrock of the enduring strength of Parliaments of the region,” Sekgoma said.

She noted that clerks play a vital role in enabling oversight of public expenditure by facilitating committee work, managing parliamentary questions, and ensuring that reports such as those of the Auditor General are properly tabled and scrutinised.

“Clerks at the Table are the guardians of parliamentary practice and represent long-lasting institutional memory,” she said and added, “They ensure that Parliament remains guided not only by rules of form, but rules of substance which apply to all MPs without exception or discrimination.”

Sekgoma likened parliamentary clerks to silent defenders of democratic governance.

“They are the ones who prevent the first seeds of corruption from germinating,” she said, adding that although their work often goes unnoticed, it remains essential to preserving the integrity of parliamentary institutions.

She also highlighted the work of the SADC Parliamentary Forum in strengthening the professional capacity of parliamentary administrations, including through the establishment of the Committee of Clerks of Member Parliaments, which advises the Forum on procedural matters.

Sharing practical tools

Beyond the high-level addresses, the seminar featured technical presentations by public finance specialists and parliamentary practitioners.

Ms Seabo Keorapetse, Deputy Permanent Secretary in Botswana’s Ministry of Finance, opened the technical sessions with a presentation on “Strengthening the Role of Parliaments in Public Finance Management: Opportunities and Challenges.”

She explored the evolving responsibilities of legislatures in ensuring that public resources are managed efficiently and transparently.

Ms Lucy Waithima, Senior Deputy Director in the Parliamentary Budget Office of Kenya, discussed effective parliamentary tools and mechanisms for oversight, drawing on Kenya’s experience with institutionalised budget analysis structures that support legislative scrutiny.

Delegates also examined legal frameworks governing public finance management through a presentation by Ms Fyness Mwafulirwa, a senior budget analyst from Malawi, who highlighted how legislative frameworks can empower parliaments to exercise stronger fiscal oversight.

From Ghana, Mr Kofi Mneka, Principal Assistant Clerk, spoke on reengineering the role and scope of Parliamentary Budget Offices, emphasising the growing importance of specialised research and analysis units within legislatures.

The seminar also explored partnerships with non-state actors. Mr Simon Mtambo, Director of the Parliamentary Budget Office in Zambia, presented on building partnerships with civil society organisations and other stakeholders to strengthen parliamentary oversight of public finances.

Meanwhile, Dr Sylvia Mwamba, Associate Director and Country Lead of IDinsight Zambia, examined frameworks for effective monitoring and evaluation of public finance management processes and reforms, highlighting the importance of data-driven approaches to assessing fiscal governance.

From discussions to action

Closing the seminar, Mr Sage Samuwika, Acting Deputy Clerk (Administration) of the National Assembly of Zambia, urged participants to ensure that lessons from the seminar translate into tangible reforms.

“Three key takeaways after this seminar will be to ensure that resolutions from this event are implemented, implemented and implemented in earnest,” he said.

He noted that many African countries face challenges such as debt sustainability pressures, misapplication of public funds and slow economic growth – issues that require stronger parliamentary oversight.

Samuwika emphasised that parliamentary staff play a critical role in enabling reforms that strengthen financial accountability.

“Parliamentary staff are key enablers of reforms aimed at strengthening oversight, and public finance management is no exception,” he said.

He also highlighted the SADC Parliamentary Forum Model Law on Public Finance Management, adopted in 2022, as an important benchmark that national parliaments can use in strengthening legislative frameworks for fiscal governance.

Strengthening institutions

Participants agreed that strengthening parliamentary oversight of public finances is essential for building public trust and promoting sustainable development across Africa.

They said that by equipping parliamentary clerks and administrators with new knowledge, tools and professional networks, the SoCATT seminar sought to reinforce the institutional capacity of legislatures to monitor government spending effectively and uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.

• Moses Magadza, PhD, is the Media and Communications Manager at the SADC Parliamentary Forum.