Opinion / Columnist
What we expect in mid-term fiscal policy
08 Sep 2016 at 14:38hrs | Views
As the Minister of Finance is set to present the mid-term fiscal policy today, Zimbabweans are expecting to hear measures that will rescue the economy from a further downward spiral.
The economy has not been performing very well due to a compound of factors that include El Niño induced drought and the effects of the over a decade long sanctions. People had pinned hopes on the International Financial Institutions following the acceptance of the Government's external debt clearance strategy presented in Lima. However, the strategy is facing strong sabotage. People wait to hear how Minister Chinamasa will counter the efforts to sabotage the Lima strategy.
We have heard the much talked about command agriculture which has been criticized by many in the opposition. The system had raised hope to farmers and citizens whose economy is agro-based. Cde Chinamasa is expected to tell the nation where Government will source the $500 million to fund the command agriculture.
The government has not been paying civil servants on time due to the dwindling revenue base. With that challenge, the civil servants are anxious to know if they will get a bonus this year. President Mugabe is on record saying Government cannot withdraw bonuses from civil servants because it has become their right. With the current challenges, it is yet to be seen if Government will afford the bonuses considering that it took eight months to pay all civil servants their bonuses.
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Rufaro Mufundirwa <rufumufundirwa@gmail.com
The economy has not been performing very well due to a compound of factors that include El Niño induced drought and the effects of the over a decade long sanctions. People had pinned hopes on the International Financial Institutions following the acceptance of the Government's external debt clearance strategy presented in Lima. However, the strategy is facing strong sabotage. People wait to hear how Minister Chinamasa will counter the efforts to sabotage the Lima strategy.
The government has not been paying civil servants on time due to the dwindling revenue base. With that challenge, the civil servants are anxious to know if they will get a bonus this year. President Mugabe is on record saying Government cannot withdraw bonuses from civil servants because it has become their right. With the current challenges, it is yet to be seen if Government will afford the bonuses considering that it took eight months to pay all civil servants their bonuses.
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Rufaro Mufundirwa <rufumufundirwa@gmail.com
Source - Rufaro Shumba
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