Announced 2019 budget is not transformative – Shimunza

The opposition Movement for National Transformation (MNT) says the announced 2019 national budget is not transformative.

MNT president Daniel Shimunza says this is because it aims at a lower GDP growth of 4 percent.

Mr. Shimunza has told QTV News that his party is of the view that Zambia should be more innovative and aim its economic growth higher than the rest of the region.

He states that by aiming to grow the Zambian economy by 4 percent what the 2019 national budget entails is that the Country’s economic growth is in fact below that of the region.

Mr. Shimunza says the MNT therefore holds the view that next year’s national budget is more of a maintenance of the Kwacha against the dollar kind of budget.

He says his party is in this case doubtful that such a national budget will give the kind of transformation the people of Zambia are looking for.

But French Ambassador to Zambia Sylvain Berger has described as interesting  Zambia’s  K86.8 billion 2019 national budget.

Mr. Berger says he is personally keen to follow the debate on Tuesday when Members of Parliament deliberate on the budget.

He has told QTV News in a separate interview that for the fact that he has not fully grasped the measures in the budget he will have to study it before he could weigh their merits and demerits.

Mr. Berger however states that austerity measures earlier announced by the government are crucial to the Zambia’s economy.

He says he has observed that Zambia is in a difficult situation economically.