Back to Index

Minister Biti rolls out the 2011 budget plan
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
September 29, 2011

Finance Minister and MDC Secretary General, Hon. Tendai Biti has said the biggest challenge to Zimbabwe's economic growth is the slow pace in adopting various reforms that have been agreed to in the Global Political Agreement.

He was addressing a press conference in Harare today where he launching the 2012 Budget Roll out Plan.

Hon. Biti said the conflicting statements on politics, elections, indigenisation and farming were seriously affecting the economy.

Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF have been uttering inflammatory statements in recent weeks on the holding of elections before a clear roadmap for free and a fair election is adopted. The party has also been inciting its youths to invade private owned companies and commercial farms.

Hon. Biti said such acts could only be done by stakeholders of the past and called for an end to this impunity that Zanu PF has enjoyed for too long. He said there is need for a common vision in order to move the country forward.

He said politics had to be saner and have less noise.

Minister Biti said another challenge facing the country was the lack of human development capacity that the country was experiencing mainly due to the flight of experienced personnel abroad. He said the country was operating at a capacity of 35 percent.

He said the 2012 budget should be underpinned by reality and pragmatism.

"We have to live within our means and cut our cloth according to size. The budget has to be relevant to the needs of the people. Our people need jobs and economic stability. Therefore, the 2012 budget should be a sound budget. Our duty is to balance the unbalanceable but we are very confident that we will be able to meet our fiscal target," he said.

The Ministry of Finance's roll out plan will start tomorrow with a retreat for specialist associations in Harare. Some of the organisations that will attend the retreat are; the Bankers' Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Manufacturers Textiles Association and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries. The first provincial consultative meeting will take place in Gwanda, Matebeleland South.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP