2026 BUDGET EXPECTATIONS
I will be very brief and none technical on our expectations or rather the challenge the Minister of Finance faces.
If Personal Emoluments (PE) is at around 55% of the budget and debt service is around 35% of budget. The two add upto 90%. This simply means we are only left with 10% to run other recurring government operational and capital expenditures.
So simply put, what significant development agenda do we expect from 10%. The only way out is to borrow more externally to fund critical projects like 3 months extension of IMF program
UPND celebrates new recruitment in government sectors, but only adding PE cost which they are struggling with. For an economy to thrive, you need seriously private sector participation, particularly local business. With UPND private sector participation equals foreign companies.
No hope in 2026 budget. We do not anticipate anything significant.
Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party
It seems Mr. Mmembe does not know whether he is a socialist or a capitalist, because when he talks, he is a capitalist through and through, but he wants to hoodwink the ignorance that he is a socialist.
.”…for an economy to thrive,you seriously need private sector participation….”Is that seriously coming from Socialist Membe? What happened to central and collective public sector led economy because Zambia currently seems to be spured by public sector spending
Rather presumptous of you Mmembe. Without factual basis you presume that ” the budget will not have anything of substance”.
Is that the kind of thinking a leader should have? Make assumptions without facts?
As expected, of course. It would be a very big shocker if M’membe praised HH and the current government.