News / National
Ignatius Chombo blasts Tendai Biti
20 Dec 2011 at 10:19hrs | Views
Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo
The Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister, Dr Ignatius Chombo has criticised Finance Minister, Tendai Biti for failing to prioritise key issues such as water and sewer rehabilitation infrastructure in the 2012 National Budget.
Dr Chombo, whose ministry was allocated US$17 million which is expected to cover all the programmes including the administrative side, said Biti is sidelining Zanu PF led ministries while propping up ministries led by his party.
Dr Chombo noted that water and sewer programmes were not prioritised, adding that government cannot expect the donor community to take care of such critical areas as it is a recipe for disaster.
On the administrative side, Dr Chombo said the ministry owes traditional leaders as well as other sectors for services rendered and the amount allocated for 2012 will only go as far as paying debts, leaving the ministry literally broke.
The Finance Minister has come under criticism from most sectors who accuse him of crafting fictitious budgets and using the fiscus as a political tool.
While some sectors are allocated substantial amounts on paper, the money disbursed normally falls short.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe is on record as saying the budgets presented by Mr Biti are not only fictitious but unrealistic and a deliberate ploy to cripple ministries led by Zanu PF to garner political mileage for his party.
Dr Chombo, whose ministry was allocated US$17 million which is expected to cover all the programmes including the administrative side, said Biti is sidelining Zanu PF led ministries while propping up ministries led by his party.
Dr Chombo noted that water and sewer programmes were not prioritised, adding that government cannot expect the donor community to take care of such critical areas as it is a recipe for disaster.
On the administrative side, Dr Chombo said the ministry owes traditional leaders as well as other sectors for services rendered and the amount allocated for 2012 will only go as far as paying debts, leaving the ministry literally broke.
The Finance Minister has come under criticism from most sectors who accuse him of crafting fictitious budgets and using the fiscus as a political tool.
While some sectors are allocated substantial amounts on paper, the money disbursed normally falls short.
The Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, President Robert Mugabe is on record as saying the budgets presented by Mr Biti are not only fictitious but unrealistic and a deliberate ploy to cripple ministries led by Zanu PF to garner political mileage for his party.
Source - Zbc News
