East African Community , Ambassador Liberat Mfumukeko
Mr Mfumukeko, noted that the EAC organs
and institutions had been experiencing liquidity challenges as a result
of delays in disbursement of contributions by both the partner states
and development partners.
This being the case, he is taking steps
to whittle down expenses, borrowing a leaf from President John Pombe
Magufuli. The era of bureaucratic globetrotting, living in jets and
sampling airports seems to be over.
More than 25 per cent of EAC meetings
shall use video conferencing facilities. The community is working
towards improvement of video-conference facilities both at Secretariat
and partner states level, to accommodate as many meetings as possible,
at the same time.
But should the need to travel arise: “As
meetings are well planned on the EAC calendar of activities, meeting
forms indicating the budget line to be charged shall be issued one month
in advance and tickets two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
This will help to avoid the high costs
that may arise from late bookings. All air tickets shall be booked and
issued basing on the most direct route,” said Mr Mfumukeko.
In a Financial Management Circular dated
18th May, 2016, aimed at addressing the financial crunch at the
Community, Mr Mfumukeko says the EAC management has introduced cost
cutting measures and reforms on key expenditure items. Article 67 of the
Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC says that the Secretary General
shall be the Accounting Officer of the Community.
The Secretary General said the measures
and reforms are a product of intense consultations he had with executive
staff, heads of institutions, directors, professionals and general
staff of the Community over the past few weeks.
The duration of the meetings shall be
rationalised. Technical meetings shall be conducted for a period not
exceeding four working days. The number of delegates from partner states
facilitated through the EAC budget shall not exceed two for each
meeting.
Partner states have been told that
delegates should be nominated from relevant sectors who can actively
contribute to the success of the meetings and that they consult widely
with relevant stakeholders in partner states prior to coming to the
meetings.
In order to reduce conference costs,
where possible, the use of free of charge government-owned facilities
should be encouraged. The procurement unit shall also negotiate for
corporate conference and accommodation rates in each partner state and
the EAC delegations to technical meetings shall not be more than three
members of staff.
For meetings involving partner states’
delegates and staff held out of station, but within a radius of less
than 150 km of two hour’s drive from the duty station, the travel days
for the staff shall be the actual first and last days of the meeting.
Meetings involving staff members only or
with consultants shall be held at EAC premises using conference halls
or meeting rooms within the duty station.
Where an assignment, activity, training
and retreat require more concentration, justification shall be provided
to support taking the staff members outside the duty station. This
decision shall be taken by the Secretary General or the officers with
sub-delegated authority of the accounting officer.
Members of staff will only be allowed to
be away from their respective duty stations for not more than 50 per
cent of their time. Exceptions shall be considered on individual basis
provided that the cumulative number of days for a particular month does
not exceed 65 per cent of the time.
Travel clearance by the respective
director and DSG or equivalent authorities in other organs and
institutions, prior to travelling, is mandatory. Prior to budgeting
procurement of consultancies, which are not implementing a particular
council directive; a request shall be submitted to management and
considered by a multi-disciplinary advisory committee.
This is to save expenditure on
short-term studies, trainings, which can be undertaken or facilitated by
the EAC professional staff. The Partnership Fund MoU between EAC and
Development Partners shall be amended to reflect the application of
travel policy as contained in the PRAG (EU Per diem rates), with effect
from July 1, this year.
During the negotiation of financing
agreements with development partners, EAC shall be flexible to apply
development partners’ travel policies with a view to attracting more
support.
Thus there will be No Top Up claim by a
staff when implementing an activity funded by development partners under
these terms. A projects coordination unit will be established by July
1, this year, to enhance effective communication and reporting to
partner states, EALA and development partners, ensuring that EAC has a
one stop desk and repository for information on all projects.
The unit will ensure joint planning and budgeting, timely and coordinated implementation, reporting and auditing of projects
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