…As Minister Mthuli is set to address 2022 national budget today (Thursday)

Ngoni Dapira

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has consented to the pre-consultation meetings between accounting officers of all Ministries with the Finance and Economic Development Ministry before finalization of the 2022 national budget disbursements, a senior Government official has revealed.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi revealed this during a recently held 2022 strategic planning review workshop for his Ministry held in Mutare. He said the meeting would be presided over by the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda.

“We managed to humbly request His Excellency (President Mnangagwa) to ensure that when national budgets are being done our accounting officers must have a forum chaired by the Chief Secretary where they will discuss the allocation of the national purse as opposed to the current scenario we have where the Finance Ministry dictates disbursements with no justification,” said the Justice Minister.

Minister Ziyambi said this will ensure fairness in disbursements and consensus, unlike previous years where fiscal disbursements are usually a drop in the ocean from what line Ministries would have requested.

“So we will now know that we are part of the process and part of the decision. We are very happy that the President has agreed that the accounting officers must sit with the Chief Secretary and Finance Ministry to ensure that there is fairness in the distribution of the national purse,” he said.

In his remarks, the Justice Minister urged technocrats to take the strategic planning meeting seriously as it is integral to reflect the national outcome set for the success of the incumbent National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1). He added that the planned actions should be achievable regardless of minimum expenditure from fiscus, citing that service deliver should not be compromised as the country moves towards achieving a world class justice system by 2030.

The Justice Minister said under NDS 1 the Ministry remains vigilant on its mandate to safeguard the rule of law. “We shall strive without fear or favour to enforce the obligation imposed on us by the Constitution to ensure equality and equal protection for all before the law…Social, economic and political freedom of the people is of paramount importance in the Second Republic,” said Minister Ziyambi.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube is expected to present the 2022 National Budget today (Thursday) at 2pm.

In an interview at the Victoria Falls annual pre-budget seminar held last month, Minister Ncube reportedly promised a pro-poor 2022 national budget but said Government’s capacity to finance expenditures will continue to be dependent on the revenue generation capacity of the economy and its ability to borrow sustainably.

All eyes will be on the Finance Minister today to see what he has to unpack. The 2022 National budget will also be critical for the ruling Zanu-PF Government given that harmonised elections are around the corner in 2023.