GOVERNMENT SHOULD STICK TO THE BUDGET – KWATU
By Jackson Mapapayi
A civil society organisation in Solwezi says it is expecting government to stick to what it has stipulated in this year’s national budget.
Kwatu Voice provincial coordinator Oliver Chilefu said in an interview that whilst the expectations from the general public are high, his organisation expects government to stick to its original plan.
“The expectations from the general public are high based on the campaign promises, we hope to see the budget being actualise, ” said Mr Chilefu.
He said his organisation expects to see how best government will mitigate some of the challenges that will come as a result of the increment in utilities such fuel and electricity tariffs using the same budget.
He said there is no doubt that the upward adjustment in tariffs for utilities will negatively affect ordinary Zambian citizens as commodity prices will go up.
“So, we want to see how government is going to cushion the pressure that will come with the increase in commodity prices,” he said.
He said though the inflation rate has gone down as announced last week, its impact hasn’t yet been felt by the general public.
He also said his organisation expects parliament to come up with a piece of legislation that will deter central government from making decisions that will result in the of funds from one sector to another.
“Especially in line with borrowing, budget execution and expenditures. We want to see a situation where if money is meant for the education sector, it should go to that sector and not the other way round, ” he said.
