2009 budget is a raw deal for women, says Munyinda
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Monday, February 09, 2009 2:49:48 AM
NGOCC board chairperson Marian Munyinda yesterday said the 2009 national budget has revealed a raw deal for the women of Zambia.
Giving the women movement's analysis of the 2009 budget, Munyinda said the formulation and implementation of the national budget continues to be gender-blind and gender-insensitive.
"It was our submission as NGOCC that the 2009 national budget in responding to the marginalised in society and the poor must have clear and gender-sensitive targets unfortunately this is not the case," she said.
Munyinda observed that on Pay As You Earn (PAYE), there was no real change as the burden had been shifted by having the higher income earners being subsidised by the lower income earners.
Munyinda said in addition, the increment from K600, 000 to K700, 000 offers no significant burden reduction on the lower income earners especially that the JCTR monthly food basket was pegged at K1, 4 million.
She said this increase failed to even meet their own food basket by Central Statistics Office (CSO), which was pegged at K1 million.
On Value Added Tax, Munyinda said NGOCC submitted that this band be reduced from 16 per cent to 10 per cent.
"However, silence on this matter in the minister's speech is an indication that it has been maintained at 16 per cent. The government must understand that VAT is a major contributing factor to the high cost of living and the implication of not reducing this will result in many people, in particular women, not meeting their basic needs, hence infringing the basic human rights of the dignity of the human being," she said.
Munyinda said the 37 per cent increment in this year's allocation to the agriculture sector, though at a glance may seem to be an increment, was not in real terms.
Munyinda said this was considering that the budget to this sector was drastically reduced by 26.6 per cent in 2008.
"Further, impacting negatively on this is the inflation rate which stands at 14.6 per cent. In analysis this implies that there is a reverse growth of -4 per cent in this sector. The 2009 budget has provided K435 billion as compared to K185 billion in 2008 budget," she said.
She said NGOCC's concern was the failure by the Fertiliser Support Programme to reach the targeted citizens, which she said had been acknowledged in the budget speech.
However, Munyinda noted government's omission to indicate on how they would deal with the challenges in the FSP.
She recommended that the government implement a gender-sensitive support programme which would take into account the different needs of women and men in the agriculture sector.
On health, Munyinda said the 12.9 per cent increment to this sector was actually not an increment in real terms when taking into account the inflation rate at 14 per cent which resulted in a -1 per cent reverse increment.
Munyinda said the committee on estimates in debating and making changes to the national budget must ensure that each proceeding budget must have real growth as opposed inflationary increment in the budget.
Labels: 2009 BUDGET, MARIAN MUNYINDA, NGOCC
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Hillary has set pace for women, says Munyinda
By Mwila Chansa and Masuzyo Chakwe
Tuesday June 10, 2008 [04:00]
NGOCC board chairperson Marian Munyinda has said former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has set pace for women in the US and other countries to aspire for greater heights politically. And United States Ambassador to Zambia Carmen Martinez said it was important that the leadership in the US reflects the mixture of the population.
In an interview, Munyinda said the fact that Hillary went that far in the party primary elections, she had inspired women who intended to take part in future political endeavours that it was possible to compete on an equal footing with men and possibly even beat them.
"I think that in future when women aspire for political positions, they will look up to her and the progress that she made. Although she lost, she was almost neck-to-neck as the win by Obama was very narrow," she said.
Munyinda said although the women movement was a little disappointed with Hillary's loss, they were happy that she had proved that women could be formidable contenders to men.
However, Munyinda said both Hillary and Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama were historical candidates who came from groups that were prejudiced by people and that the women movement understood that there could only be one winner at a particular time.
She however said it would have been good if Hillary clinched the nomination since the US was considered as a model for progress, democracy and aspiration of dreams.
"We would have expected them Democrats to practice what they preach. The fact that they have not come up with a female president is a misnomer," said Munyinda.
She observed that even countries such as Liberia and Sri Lanka had managed to have women assume the highest office in their countries and that had the US done the same, a lot of countries could have learnt from them.
And Ambassador Martinez said the most exciting thing was that there was a woman candidate who turned out to be very strong.
She said it was also exciting that there was a candidate of mixed heritage, in reference to Obama.
"He is a young man with an exciting future ahead of him, We also have an experienced candidate Senator McCain (John), very well respected with a lot of experience and a hero to his country but the most exciting thing about this is the turnout for the elections was so high especially among young people, for them, many of them, they are very excited, they say it may be the first time, they don't have a Clinton or a Bush running for presidency so it's the change of agenda so they are very excited about that," she said.
Ambassador Martinez said people tended to be complacent about democracy and would not turnout at all.
"But I think we are expecting a record turnout, record registration, voter registration, record registration in the primary so it is energising the whole political process and making many people who felt like they have never seen a minority candidate in the White House feel very exciting about it," she said.
Ambassador Martinez personally hoped that they would have a Spanish candidate.
"The Spanish are the largest minority in the United States, African-American are about 10 per cent, Spanish are about 15 per cent, Asians, Americans coming up close, hoping we will next time have an Asian-American candidate," he said
Ambassador Martinez said America was a very mixed country with so many people of mixed heritage.
"Whether they are in European group, African group or Asian group, we are all mixed, we are all immigrants except for the native Americans and many of us claim their blood in the veins.
I think what is important is that the leadership in the United States reflects what the mixture of the population is, it makes people feel included in their government," said Ambassador Martinez.
Labels: MARIAN MUNYINDA, WOMEN
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Halt Chiluba's house construction - NGOCC
By George Chellah and Brighton Phiri
Thursday May 10, 2007 [04:05]
THE Non-governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC) has demanded that the construction of former president Frederick Chiluba's retirement house be halted until he pays the London judgment sum of about US41 million. And Attorney General Mumba Malila has said the Zambian government would soon give a full reaction and the way forward on the London judgment on Chiluba.
NGOCC chairperson Marian Munyinda yesterday wondered why Chiluba's house should be built when he owes Zambians billions of Kwacha. "What exactly are we doing as Zambians? Are we serious? If Chiluba is in the courts today because he stole our money why should we build him a house? Are we really building him a house or a jail where he will stay? It doesn't make sense to prosecute him on one hand and ask him to approve plans for his house of the other hand," Munyinda said.
"Are we really serious as a country? The construction of Chiluba's house should be stopped immediately. That money which is supposed to be used in the construction of the house should be diverted and utilised for other social services, which he deprived Zambians when he was stealing. Why should he have a house when a lot of our children are sleeping on the streets?"
She said NGOCC was gratified with the London judgment on Chiluba and his accomplices.
"We saw that there was a lot of hide and seek. Nothing concrete seemed to be coming out of our own courts for Mr. Chiluba's cases. The cases are taking forever. At least this judgment has come out and it has provided a lot of details," Munyinda said.
"The calls of the people of Zambia have been justified. Chiluba should therefore start paying back the money. Judge Smith, the Attorney General and the prosecution team did a lot of work. The whole judgment is detailed and it's difficult for anyone to try and run away."
Munyinda said the London Court should have asked Chiluba to pay back 100 per cent of the money he stole. "It's unfortunate that they have been asked to pay 85 per cent. They should have paid 100 per cent. Women and children in Zambia are suffering and leaving in poverty because of the money, which was stolen," Munyinda said.
"In fact, even that same 85 per cent should be paid back expeditiously because there could even be other monies that were stolen."
And Attorney General Mumba Malila has said the Zambian government would soon give a full reaction and the way forward on the London judgment. "Mr. Mulongoti, the chief government spokesperson will give a full reaction to the judgment. He will give a full government reaction to the judgment and the way forward," Malila said.
"I hope it will be during the course of this week."
On the constitution, Munyinda said the delay by the government was very regrettable. "We wanted a new constitution after the September elections. But going by the government roadmap it’s clear that we will not have a constitution in place. The government is not going to implement the constitution even in this term of the President," Munyinda said. "They are sidetracking people's energies to constructive issues."
She accused the government of extremely misrepresenting the people's mandate.
"It doesn't mean that when they are voted in power they have the monopoly of wisdom. The politicians should listen to what Zambians are saying. Let them consult the electorate and not deciding according to what they themselves as individuals want," Munyinda said.
Munyinda said there was need to maintain calls for public pressure on the government.
"It's a loss to President Mwanawasa because we expected him as a distinguished lawyer to give the people of Zambia a new constitution. Unfortunately, he is hindering the process," Munyinda said.
"And his final term is running out very fast. And yet when he leaves office you will find that he will be the first one to cry out loud on the need for a new constitution."
Women for Change executive director Emily Sikazwe said Chiluba's retirement package should be reviewed following the London Court judgment.
She said it was sad that Chiluba visited the site where his planned house would be build on the same day the London court found him liable.
Sikazwe said it would be profitable for the Zambian people if the money meant for Chiluba's house were spent on constructing a modern hospital to save life.
"We shall not allow government to spend any money on Chiluba's house until he pays back all the monies he robbed off Zambians. We shall use the site for his house to build a hospital for the women and children, who are dying due to the plunder of our resources under his regime," Sikazwe said.
Labels: CHILUBA, CONSTITUTION, MARIAN MUNYINDA, MUMBA MALILA
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