via Public consultations on 2016 National Budget on course – NewsDay Zimbabwe September 30, 2015
PUBLIC consultations on the 2016 National Budget are on course with Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development chairperson David Chapfika saying the House will now start taking inputs from the public.
by VENERANDA LANGA
Chapfika told journalists during a media briefing yesterday at Parliament Building that the committee will next week visit all provinces starting from Monday to gather public views on how people want the 2016 National Budget to look like.
“Interested groups and ordinary members of the public are invited to these budget meetings, and their suggestions will be considered by the committee for incorporation into the committee report, which would be presented to the Ministry of Finance for possible consideration during the structuring of the 2016 National Budget,” Chapfika said.
“Stakeholders and members of the public may also bring along written submissions to be handed to the committee.”
Public hearings have been slated for Kariba, Karoi, Harare, Chitungwiza, Bindura, Glendale, Murewa, Marondera, Zimunya, Mutare, Masvingo, Chivi, Beitbridge, Gwanda, Bulawayo, Tsholotsho, Victoria Falls and Kwekwe.
“It is a constitutional requirement to consult members of the public because before any budget is crafted, it is important to get input from consumers so that at least we factor their interests in the budget,” Chapfika said.
“In the past we have had significant benefits from the input of members of the public even though we have not been able to go to every district.”
He said suggestions from members of the public that budgets should be pro-poor had previously been taken up, but they had been hindered by lack of resources.
“A pro-poor budget is any budget that takes into account social services needs like education, health and other consumables by ordinary persons. We must appreciate that the purse of resources from the Ministry of Finance is limited.
“To the extent that resources were available, social sectors have been covered by the previous budgets,” Chapfika said.
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