By Mercy Matonga:
Parliament Monday passed the K6.04 trillion 2024-25 mid-year national budget.
The revised budget has increased allocations to various government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Initially, the budget was pegged at K41.5 trillion but it has now been revised to K6.04 trillion, with Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola Banda arguing—during the budget presentation session earlier— that the budget was an austerity one.
The passing of the budget comes at a time the country braces itself for national emergencies due to the soon-to-be-expected adverse impact of Cyclone Chido.
It is also preparing for Local Government, Parliamentary and Presidential Elections on September 16 2025, when the polls are expected to be a major drain on the resources.
Among the key expenditures, the House allocated a K75 billion increase to the Ministry of Agriculture, enabling the ministry to maintain the number of Affordable Inputs Programme beneficiaries.
During budget presentation, Chithyola Banda announced that the government would chop beneficiaries of the programme.
“We have received support from the World Bank towards food allocation,” Chithyola Banda said
The budget passed after lawmakers affirmed allocations to all 59 votes during a five-hour long session presided over by Second Deputy Speaker Aisha Adams.
Speaking to journalists after the budget passed, Chithyola Banda said the government would make sure that the allocated funds served their purpose.
He said the budget had increased following support that the government was receiving from donors, who previously withdrew such support due to lack of trust.
During his budget presentation speech, Chithyola Banda pledged prudent management of the resources and said the government was committed to restoring economic stability.
“We are now receiving direct budget direct support, which has impacted on the increase of certain votes,” Chithyola said.
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, George Chaponda, refused to comment on the budget.
However, earlier in the House, opposition members questioned the money allocated to State Residences.
In response, Chithyola Banda said the change was due to rising costs of goods, adjustments to some infrastructure projects and that K1 billion had been allocated for personal monuments.
The Ministry of Finance increased the State House budget from K42.5 billion to K46.9 billion. According to the Finance Minister, the government had initially planned to spend K16 billion for half of the financial year but ended up spending K19 billion instead.
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