MCP ready to support zero-aid budget
Opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) says it ready to support the 2014/15 national budget so long it is pro-poor.
The budget has to protect and advance people’s welfare, according to MCP Spokesperson Jessie Kabwila.
Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe is expected to present a K743 billion zero-aid budget to Parliament.
Kabwila therefore said the current administration should prevent a repeat of what happened in the 2011/2012 budget.
The 2011/12 budget was termed a zero deficit budget, but it was later discovered that heavily borrowed from other institutions to cover up the budget.
“It was a lie. MRA was forced to lie and this time around they must not do that again,” Kabwila said.
Meanwhile, MCP parliamentarian for Dedza East Juliana Lunguzi has urged the Finance Minister to also consider young people by setting aside funds that would support them roll out income generating activities.
“What is in the Budget 2014/15 for the Youths?
“What, I ask again, is in the budget for them? Funding for the Flames basi? Itikwanira tonse? Tonse tiyambe football? Ndizotheka?” queried Lunguzi.
She hoped that the Minister of Finance will this time around “treat the Youth fairly” and not just being ‘addicted’ to “subsidies for iron sheets and Fisp”.
“Why don’t we factor in the Youths too?” She queried further.
Lunguzi noted that by making these “addictive” subsidies inclusive to also target young people, who have the energy to produce, even for export, Malawi would be “subsidising production” instead of concentrating all efforts and resources in “subsidising consumption”.
“The youth have the energy and the power. Why does it require ‘rocket science’ to create an enabling environment for the youth and hence boost productivity and wealth creation?
“All sectors, water, education, health and what have you, would reap dividends if we invested in young people,” she stated.
She further said issues like early marriage, drug and alcohol abuse would all be averted, and at the same time, “our fragile economy would be gaining”.
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