Ombudsman in K600m budget deficit
Ombudsman Grace Malera
A K600 million budget deficit is threatening the operations of the Ombudsman’s office in the upcoming fiscal year.
While highlighting her office’s aspiration for a one-billion kwacha cut from the national budget, Ombudsman Grace Malera recently pleaded her case to Parliament’s legal affairs committee.
However, Malera has made an assurance that the institution has put in place some measures to complement the budget.
“We have demonstrated to the committee that we have some intensified resource mobilisation initiatives so as to cover the deficit,” Malera explained.
Despite the efforts, the ombudsman reveals that her office will still have a deficit of about K300 million even after mobilisation of resources to meet the deficit of which they requested an intervention by the parliamentary committee.
Meanwhile, committee chairperson Albert Mbawala has expressed concern about budget deficit issues in various legal institutions
He said: “As a cluster, we will lobby for resource mobilisation where we will engage various stakeholders to ensure that the institution does not lack funding for their operations.”
The committee revealed plans to engage the treasury for a consideration in increment of funding to ensure that institutions like the Office of the Ombudsman as well as the Legal Aid Bureau work effectively without funding hiccups.
Among others, the office of the ombudsman has failed to carry out crucial investigations because of funding deficits.
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