SAPST and its lead partner, ZIMCODD, is implementing a project on Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Public Finance Management (STAP) aimed at contributing towards addressing economic challenges emanating from lack of fiscal discipline, transparency and accountability in Zimbabwe. The project is anchored on the view that there should be a reciprocal relationship between citizens and government, in which citizens provide resources to and entrust governments with stewardship over public resources, and, in turn expect that these resources will be expended diligently in the public interest to fulfill social and economic rights.

The STAP project seeks to infuse accountability and transparency in public financial management through a two pronged approach: (1) strengthening parliamentary oversight in public finance management and (2) fostering citizen participation in economic governance process. On one hand, STAP aims to increase citizen capacity to hold solution holders accountable using various accountability tools which include the public expenditure monitoring, citizen scorecard, open budget survey, and the fiscal transparency index. On the other hand, STAP seeks to institute a culture of transparency and accountability through awareness raising, capacity building, modeling and dialogue in order to increase parliament’s oversight role in fiscal processes.

In terms of approach, STAP project uses evidence-backed advocacy to influence policy and legislative reform through collaboration with other civil society organisations (CSOs), dialogue and engage with state actors and the citizenry towards fostering fiscal transparency. Rights awareness campaigns aimed at building demand from below, training and capacity building, expert analysis of public policy and crafting alternatives broadly define the activities to be carried out in this initiative.

In this project, SAPST is responsible for implementing capacity building programmes for parliamentarians and Parliament staff on public finance management issues in order to strengthen the oversight function of Parliament. This involves facilitating tailor-made training programmes and development of relevant training modules as well as providing technical support on PFM issues.