SUMMARY REPORT OF THE PLENARY SESSION OF 29 JUNE 2023

The year two thousand and twenty-three, on the twenty-ninth day of June, Senators met in the Senate hemicycle for the 145^th plenary session of the Sixth Legislature to analyze the following items:

Bill for the Budget Regulations and Accounts for the 2021-2022 financial year;

Presentation of the draft resolution on the respect for the ethnic balance provided for by the Constitution in the country’s institutions;

Presentation of the reports on the field visits carried out by the Standing Committees on Political, Diplomatic, Defence and Security issues and on Institutional, Legal Affairs and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms.

The proceedings chaired by the Speaker of the Senate, Right Honourable Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA, which were attended by 30 senators and a government representative, Mr Audace NIYONZIMA, Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning began as usual at 10 a.m. with a prayer.

Opening the session, the Speaker of the Senate first welcomed Honourable Senators and the Minister who represented the Government, and then invited the latter to present the preambl for the first item on the agenda.

In his presentation, Minister Audace NIYONZIMA indicated that the draft law on the budget regulation and report refers to organic law no. 1/20 of 20 June 2022 revising law no. 1/35 of 4 December 2008 on public finances, article 69 stipulates that “the draft law on the budget regulation and report shall be submitted to Parliament within six months of the end of the financial year”.

For the Government Representative’s view, the draft Budget Settlement and Accountability Bill under analysis will set out, at the end of the 2021/2022 financial year, the final amounts of revenue received and expenditure disbursed by the State, as well as the resulting financial balance.

It gives parliamentarians the opportunity to carry out a posteriori control of the implementation of the budget and the management of supplies voted,” continued the Minister.  Its analysis also provides parliamentarians with an opportunity to assess the differences between forecasts and actual figures, and to note and approve the budgetary results for the year.

After the explanatory statement and the presentation of the report by the referred committee, senators were given the floor to ask clarifying questions as part of the general debate.

In response to a question asked by senators to know by which mechanism profit employees of funds returned to the Treasury could claim them back, the Government Representative replied that the claim must be made through the Ministry to which the beneficiary belongs.

As for the question as to the source of funding for the account entitled “undefined account”, the Minister replied that it involves, for example, the establishment of supplier arrears. In other words, it is a sub-account of domestic debt.

As to why the amount unduly received should be recorded when the authors are recorded nowhere, the Minister informed Honourable Senators that it was not the salaries unduly received which were being referred to, but rather an amount which was debited in error and which, in practice, must be credited to the “amount unduly received” at the central Bank of Burundi (BRB).

After the adoption of technical and basic amendments, the bill was submitted to the vote and adopted unanimously by the 39 senators, 30 of whom were present and 9 by proxy.

After a 15-minute break, Honourable Senators resumed activities at twelve o’clock to consider the last two points mentioned above.

With regard to the draft resolution on the ethnic quota in the country’s various institutions, senators approved it after amending it.

The Senators then heard the reports on the field visits made by the Standing Committees on Political, Diplomatic, Defense and Security Affairs and that on Institutional and Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Affairs.

After the presentation and discussion, the Speaker of the Senate asked senators to identify the challenges facing each ministry in order to prepare oral questions with debate.

As for the PATAREB project operating in the agricultural sector in Bugesera region, which seems to be at a dead end, it is recommended that the matter be referred to the Prime Minister for follow-up as soon as possible.

Before closing the session, the Right Honourable Speaker of the Senate suggested that Honourable Senators should take advantage of the recess to encourage the population in their constituencies to irrigate their fields and raise small livestock, especially the rabbits.

The session, which took place in a climate of mutual understanding, ended at 14:00 with a prayer.