Parliament has approved the K 126 billion 2020 National Budget and adjourned Sine die.
This was after the Appropriation Bill -2019 passed the third reading in Parliament.
Finance Minister Bwalya Ng’andu said the 2020 Budget will ensure solid economic recovery despite the challenges that the country is facing.
Dr Ng’andu called on Members of Parliament to support the 2020 Budget and stressed that MPs have been called to leadership to make decisions in the national interest.
Later, Vice President Inonge Wina moved a motion to adjourn Parliament Sine die.
The House passed seven other bills that include, the Supplementary Appropriation Bill -2019 and Electricity and Energy Regulation Bills.
The House also passed the Property Transfer tax, Value Added Tax, Income Tax, and Customs and Excise Amendment Bills.
Earlier, the Supplementary Appropriation bill of 2019 aimed at facilitating over K 1.175 billion Supplementary Budget passed third reading in Parliament and awaits Presidential assent.
Finance Minister Bwalya Ngandu presented the bill in Parliament yesterday afternoon.
Dr. Ng’andu said of the over K 1 billion 2019 supplementary budget, Over K 410 million emanates from cooperating partners while over K 117 million was a carryover from the 2018 budget.
Dr. Ng’andu further said over K 455 million comprises a re-allocation of funds for wages awarded to civil servants in 2019.
He said over K 173 Million Kwacha constitutes an additional request due to the exhausted provisions in the 2019 budget.
Dr. Ng’andu disclosed that over K 18 million involves funds, not of the 2019 budget.
Mxxm
Zambia has diamonds???? Chitotela kept this quiet!!! BBC reports…
Zambia lifts gemstone export duty
Zambia is suspending a 15% export duty on all precious and semi-precious stones except diamonds, according to a government document posted on a South African mining company’s website.
The new rule comes into effect from the beginning of 2020.
The duty, which came into effect at the start of this year, has damaged the profits of the mining companies and was one of several taxation measures that have been a source of conflict with the government, the Reuters news agency reports.
Bakabolala. We lost confidence in them a long time ago. It is no longer a budget, more like a blank cheque to accrue debt on behalf of zambians with no plans on how to pay it back.
Did that Sinda MP debate this budget also?
So you can overinflate tenders, build bridges, then demolish them the next day after completion.
What a shoddy way to plunder State resources, & raise campaign funds Ba K0LW3′ IMWE’!!
Value of money at play here. As on 30th August when the budget was proposed $ to zmk was 10.90. This means that the budget was +/- $12b, now the kwacha is at 15 per $ meaning 50% has been spend without using it.
I feel sorry for the finance minister, he seems like a genuine man.
Behide him the hyenas lead by lungu are liking their lips and plotting how to spend and steal
Now pay retirees at pensions board. twachula.
That’s only $8.7bn ,its the poor sum from Lungu’s slow growth GDP of only 2 percent.Zambia should’ve had a budget of $12b to $14bn.
I am sure most of those MPs don’t even understand the Bills they pass. There is hardly news on any serious debates and counter arguments – just pass, pass and then relax and enjoy the trappings and allowances when on sine die.
There are also so many critical issues facing the country, but we don’t get to read about any critical challenges (apart from Jack Mwimbu, I might add) and demands for answers from the backbenches. Impotent Parliament for all intent and purposes, this is.
The country is being run chiefly by those who were incorrigibly stubborn at getting concepts throughout their school time – if they ever stayed long enough there that is. So there will now be a breakout of a full-fledged circus at the rate we are going.
A lot of this amount will end up on some building site in Swaziland .