1. Can people follow their money? Budget Transparency in East Africa May 23 rd 2011

2. Budget transparency in East Africa is poor Figure: East Africa and Global Open Budget Survey scores 2008 and 2010

3. ... with large variations across countries Figure: Individual country OBS scores in 2010

4. Countries often fail to publish key docs Budget documentUgandaKenyaTanzaniaRwandaSudan Pre-Budget statement Published Produced, not published Published Produced, not published Executives Budget Proposal Published Produced, not published Produced, not published Enacted Budget Published Produced, not published Published Citizens Budget PublishedNot produced PublishedNot produced In-Year Reports Published Produced, not published Produced, not published Midyear review Published Produced, not published Not produced Produced, not published Produced, not published Year-End report Published Produced, not published Not ProducedPublished Audit report Published Performance 8 out of 85 out of 83 out of 85 out of 83 out of 8 Table: Availability of eight key budget documents in countries of East Africa numerous instances in which documents are produced, but not made publicly available.

5. There is a trend towards greater openness, but some move backward Figure: Countries progress in opening their budgets processes

6. The information provided in budget documents remains minimal Document NameUgandaKenyaTanzaniaRwandaSudan Pre-Budget statement AAEBE Executives Budget Proposal BCCEE Enacted Budget ABEAB Citizens Budget BEEAE In-Year Reports CBBEE Mid-year review DEEEE Year-End report DEEDE Audit report CCCDC (*) Shaded cells represent documents that are not produced, or produced but not released Table: Comprehensiveness of information provided in budget documents (*)

7. Weak engagement of Parliament Figure: Strength of engagement of legislatures in the budget process Little time to adequately scrutinize budget proposals before their approval; Lack of powers needed to amend the executives budget proposals; Little scrutiny of audit reports.

8. Weak engagement with audit institutions Figure: Strength of engagement of Supreme Audit Institutions in the budget process Plays only at best a moderate role in budget oversight Lack of independence from the executive, Inability to select what should be audited. Inadequacy of resources an inability to report on time, to communicate findings effectively to the public (etc)

9. Voice of the public is largely ignored Table: Public voice in the budget process Criteria being assessed Open Budget Survey Sub score KenyaUgandaRwandaSudanTanzania Score on three public hearing questions (the Legislature) 894433 0 Audit institutions mechanisms of communication to receive complaints and suggestions from public (Question 119) 033000

10. Conclusions There is some progress, but overall budget transparency in the region is low – Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda provide some info, in the middle range – Sudan, Rwanda provide scant info, in the bottom fifth Uganda has made the most progress in recent years (55) On some aspects some countries do better (eg Rwanda and Kenya on engaging with oversight institutions) An African country, South Africa, tops the index at 92; All 5 countries can take concrete steps to improve the situation

11. What can be done? There is scope for regional learning Start with simple steps: – Publish what is produced but is not (at the moment) made available to the public. – Open corruption hotlines for the public to engage with SAIs. Enhance comprehensiveness of information provided in the budget documents; Strengthen the oversight institutions through stepping up their resource base, authority and independence; and Create space for public hearings so the public can engage directly with the legislatures in the budget process.