Afghanistan’s National Assembly and a civil society organization, the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) authorizing FEFA to monitor and report publicly on the legislature’s performance and achievements. According to FEFA, the MoU’s main goal is to inform people on what their elected representatives are doing. Also, the MoU will enhance cooperation between the legislature and civil society, and gain people’s trust on legislative activities. In short, it aims to ensure good governance.
“Under the MoU, FEFA has access to all information regarding the performance and achievements of the National Assembly and can report them to the public,” said Jandad Spingar, Executive Director for FEFA. “The main goal of the agreement is to ensure an organized relationship between people and their legislature, and inform the public about legislative activities.”
Shahgul Rezaee, a lawmaker from Ghazni Province, believes that such initiatives usher in more opportunities to promote transparency. “As the government’s – the executive, legislature, and judiciary – accountability increases, then our democracy develops,” she said. “Sound monitoring and good reporting systems can strengthen the legislature’s effectiveness.”
FEFA monitors and reports on a host of National Assembly activity, including general meetings and discussions, approval of new laws, hearings with government officials, routine meetings of different committees, lawmaker attendance in general meetings, and presence of women lawmakers in these activities.
Based on FEFA’s initial report findings, covering legislative activities from April 20 to May 4, 2012, the legislature held 11 general sessions, including seven routine sessions and four hearings to question government officials. On average, 53 percent of lawmakers attended routine sessions and 47 percent attended the hearings.
On average, 53 percent of lawmakers attended routine sessions and 47 percent attended the hearings.
Twenty two percent of women representatives attended routine sessions and 47 percent attended hearings. FEFA’s report also provides the names of lawmakers who asked questions of government officials during hearings.
The report further provides details on how the National Assembly summoned government officials to report to lawmakers on their performance.
During this period the National Assembly summoned Noorullah Delawari, Afghanistan’s Central Bank Chairman, two times to report on Kabul Bank’s bankruptcy. Also, the National Assembly summoned Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak, Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal, Interior Affairs Minister Besmullah Mohammadi, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jawid Lodin to report out on government preparations for the Chicago Conference. Afghan Finance Minister and Kabul Bank’s Clearance Manager, Masoud Ghazi, were summoned to talk about the Kabul Bank scandal.
The report provides names of all the lawmakers who asked questions during meetings. Nineteen lawmakers asked questions about security issues; 12 asked questions on the government’s foreign policy; five asked questions regarding international relations; and four asked about public services.
Based on an analysis of this activity, FEFA reports that less than 60 members of the National Assembly are categorized as ‘active lawmakers’. As such, nearly three-fourths of lawmakers are less active.
The questioning did not end there, with several lawmakers posing questions on varied issues. Twenty four lawmakers asked questions about judiciary entities, 12 asked questions about government corruption, and 14 asked questions about the Assembly’s internal regulations. Eighteen lawmakers also posed questions related to cultural issues, the environment, media, education, human rights, and infrastructure.
Based on an analysis of this activity, FEFA reports that less than 60 members of the National Assembly are categorized as ‘active lawmakers’. As such, nearly three-fourths of lawmakers are less active.
Rezaee warns that FEFA’s approach to categorizing ‘active’ and ‘inactive’ lawmakers is not comprehensive. “FEFA might not recognize ‘active lawmakers’ impartially,” she said.
Spingar disagrees. “Impartiality is the key principle of our reporting system,” he said. “Based on the MoU we monitor all general sessions and committee meetings of the National Assembly, and this is not biased.”
Political analysts believe that reporting on legislative activities to the public and media will improve legislative effectiveness.
“Lack of active monitoring of government activities resulted in an unaccountable executive, irresponsive to the public,” said Aziz Royish, a Kabul-based political analyst. “Reports on the legislature’s achievements and performance encourage lawmakers to consider people’s demands.”
