ZIMBABWE’S economy is seen growing by 6,1% next year, rising to 6,4% in 2015 underpinned by economic blueprint Zim Asset, and recovery in agriculture, mining and construction, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said as he presented a $4,1 billion National Budget yesterday.
NewsDay Senior Parliamentary Reporter Veneranda Langa interviewed legislators after Chinamasa’s Budget presentation outside Parliament Building yesterday.
Former Finance minister (2009-July 2013) Tendai Biti (MDC-T)Minister of State for Mashonaland East province Simbaneuta Mudarikwa (Zanu PF Uzumba)The projected growth rate of 6,2% is unreal. The question is what is going to change next year which is not happening in 2013? The projections are false. The country is starved of capital and under these circumstances the Budget should have encouraged capital to flow into Zimbabwe. The Budget is viciously anti-poor as it tries to tax musicians and high density suburbs.
It is mediocre to give $100 million to the informal sector and instead it should have been allocated to fight formal sector to drive ailing industries. There were a lot of slogans on sanctions in the Budget and taxing of mobile phones will hit the poor who are struggling to juice them with only $1. Capitalisation of RBZ is only fiction as no one will give them the $150 million.
Zengeza East MP Alexio Musundire (MDC-T)We now have money poured directly to artisanal miners and it means our people will be empowered.
Media, Information and Broadcasting Services deputy minister Supa Mandiwanzira (Zanu PF Nyanga South)We cannot premise a Budget on good rainfall as we all know we are not going to get good rainfall. Chinamasa failed to outline how we are going to deal with the liquidity challenges currently facing the country.
Chegutu West MP Dextor Nduna (Zanu PF)Zimbabwe has for too long been reliant on funding from multinational institutions. This is a positive Budget which strengthens the reality that we have to do things on our own.
There is going to be resource mobilisation as Chinamasa said there is going to be a team moving around the country to see how much wealth we have from our natural resources.
Mabvuku Tafara MP James Maridadi (MDC-T)
Buhera South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF)I did not hear him talking anything about health or education. He spoke about mundane issues like money transfers using cellphones and one cannot base the economy on such issues.
We only need to implement what he has said in the Budget statement.
MDC-T chief whip Innocent Gonese (Mutare Central)
Bulawayo South MP Eddie Cross (MDC-T)Our problems are maladministration and corruption permeated by our government systems for too long.
Environment, Water and Climate minister Saviour Kasukuwere (Mt Darwin South)It will not be achieved. He still has to do more in order to attract investment and deal with issues of property rights and security of investment. No one is going to invest when government demands 51%. However, there is movement in the banking sector to restore confidence and what he has done is important.
I think it’s a people-centred and people-driven Budget. From our point of view I think he has managed to say while we allow mining to grow there must also be consideration for environment protection.
