Zimbabwe’s much anticipated 2019 budget is likely to be presented on 22 November, the Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube said in Parliament yesterday.
Ncube gave the date after independent legislator Temba Mliswa piled pressure on the minister to give a time frame on when Members of Parliament would get their vehicles.
The minister had said he was not buying cars for ministers and MPs vehicles as part of the government’s cost-cutting measures.
Mliswa argued that Ncube could not compare ministers to MPs because MPs needed the vehicles to fulfill their mandate.
Besides, Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front legislators already had an advantage as they were allocated vehicles by their party in the run-up to the elections.
“ZANU-PF Hon. Members were given cars before the elections and the opposition including myself do not have cars,” Mliswa said.
“We cannot have a situation where there was money spent by the ruling party to buy the cars and members of the opposition do not have cars – so it is not balanced. In terms of priority, can he then prioritise members of the opposition to get cars because members of ZANU-PF have got cars.”
Ncube said the acquisition of cars by political parties had nothing to do with the government.
“Now, when it comes to the vehicles of the Members of Parliament, I did say that these would be provided in the fullness of time. We are obviously working on our budgets. I am going to be presenting a Budget Statement at the end of November on the 22nd – that is the date we have proposed,” he said.
“Then at that stage, I will be able to say when I am able to provide Members of Parliament with transport. I am acutely aware of the important work that they do – they do very good work. We will support them as much as possible but as of now, I am not yet ready to buy and provide them with those vehicles. I will do so in the fullness of time. They will be the first to know when I am ready because I will let them know.”
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