SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET A SHAM IN THE MIDST OF A DECLARED NATIONAL DISASTER – PF MPS

SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET A SHAM IN THE MIDST OF A DECLARED NATIONAL DISASTER – PF MPS

……it does not address the current suffering of Zambians as a result of the drought experienced and electricity crisis – they say…

Lusaka, Sunday, 23 June 2024 (Smart Eagles)

Patriotic Front Members of Parliament have expressed disappointment with the 41.9 Billion Kwacha supplementary budget that was presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister on Friday 21st June 2021.

The MPs say they expected the much anticipated supplementary budget to address the effects of the national disaster the president declared that has affected most Zambians and subjected them to poverty.

Only 19% has gone to the Ministry of Community Development for social protection while the majority of the funds go towards debt restructuring.

Mufulira Member of Parliament Golden Mwila says he like many others were very eager to see how this particular supplementary budget would address the plight of the Zambian people after president Hichilema declared a national disaster, but is very disappointed to see that it has not.

He says if government feels the declaration of the national disaster received national or worldwide attention, it has not been attained and bases this on the support that the government has received which should have been included through the supplementary budget.

“we expected to see a culmination of the support that this government has received, having declared a disaster, to be included in this budget….. because the idea of having declared a disaster, you are simply inviting the rest of the world, cooperating partners, multilateral and bilateral to say, ‘come to the table help us save our people” He said.

“But this budget, 41 Billion Kwacha, how does it reflect the international response to the declaration of a disaster? Through funding? How is this 41 Billion going to be funded?” He added.

And Lunte Member of Parliament Mutotwe Kafwaya also wondered where the revenue meant to fund the 41.9 Billion Kwacha supplementary Budget would be generated.

He said that in the past the opposition advised the UPND government against tax concessions that it is giving to mining firms would haunt it and this is beginning to manifest.

He says the UPND reduced the mineral royalty tax and made it Deductible for tax purposes, two measures aimed at reducing taxes for the Mines.

“who do you want to pay for the supplementary budget? It’s the poor Zambian balya abaletumishanya ama mobile money (those using mobile money). He lamented.

He wonders how the government can boast of giving K400 to the vulnerable at a time that it has declared a national disaster when mealie meal is costing just as much.