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(TALKZIMBABWE) Biti’s budget hits a snag

Biti’s budget hits a snag
Posted by By Brett Mashingaidze at 4 December, at 00 : 14 AM

LEGISLATORS in Zimbabwe’s Parliament have refused to rubberstamp Finance Minister Tendai Biti’s budget and asked for “considerable” time to analyze it. Biti, who has presented skewed Budget statements before, thought this budget debate would be smooth-sailing like every other.

Most of his budgets have made grand promises on paper, but failed to deliver in real terms the amounts promised to government ministries. MPs do not want the Executive to act like it has authority over the legislature.

Chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Investment Promotion Paddy Zhanda said legislators would not be forced to debate the Budget hastily just to please the Executive.

He explained how the law allowed legislators considerable time to debate the financial blueprint in the coming year.

“The Public Finance and Management Act allows for the presentation of the Budget 30 days before year end or 30 days after.

“Therefore, we should be, as the august House, given time to unpack this Budget and this has not been done.

“If this continues, then there will be need to amend the Act to give specific timelines for the presentation of the Budget. I, therefore, move that this matter be postponed,” he said.

There was cross party agreement to Zhanda’s statement as none of the MPs in the House objected to the postponement.

Biti seemed to be the only member in the august House keen to see the Budget passed.

The unity exhibited by MPs from MDC-T and Zanu-PF in refusing to debate the Budget was extraordinary.

According to experts, it is possible for MPs to force a rethink of the entire Budget.

“MPs have become increasingly discontented about Parliament being treated as a rubber-stamp institution by the executive. What can they do if not happy with aspects of the Budget?” reads a post by parliamentary monitor, Veritas.

“According to Standing Orders, MPs cannot vote to increase allocations proposed by the minister, but they are allowed to show their disapproval by reducing or omitting allocations for purposes not acceptable to them.

“Or they could refuse to approve the Estimates and the Bills, thereby forcing a re-think of the Budget. That would be unusual, but would not necessarily bring the business of Government to a grinding halt at the end of the year”.

Labels: BUDGET, TENDAI BITI

posted by MrK @ 2:17 AM