CF CALLS FOR POSTPONEMENT OF BUDGET PRESENTATION
Citizens First (CF) Party has called on the President to postpone the presentation of the 2027 National Budget and first constitute a full Cabinet, or to explain openly how Government will proceed without ministerial input.
Party spokesperson Stanley Mhango said the call follows concerns that the budget was formulated and concluded without input from line ministers.
He explained that appointing a full Cabinet within two days would not allow ministers to take part in a process that is already closed.
Mhango observed that the party understands there were no hearings, no submissions and no ownership from ministers during the budget process.
He noted that the situation raises questions about how Cabinet members would answer for decisions in which they did not participate.
Mhango advanced that Cabinet members should not be placed in a position of endorsing decisions they had no opportunity to consider.
He said that a budget should reflect collective responsibility as envisaged under Article 116 of the Constitution.
Mhango affirmed that a minister cannot reasonably be appointed on Wednesday to defend a budget he or she has never seen on Friday.
He emphasised that, in the party’s view, a budget without ministerial input raises authenticity concerns.
Mhango noted that the matter also raises questions for Parliament, including how new ministers would answer questions on a budget they did not prepare.
He said that the party believes the process should reflect the role of ruling party members in governance.
Mhango emphasised that the budget may pass in Parliament, but argued that public buy-in and implementation ownership remain important.