LILONGWE, Malawi, May 5 (MaraviPost): Expectations are high ahead of Malawi Parliament budget session opening on Tuesday with opposition parties geared to take government to task on the Malawi Savings Bank sales, cases of looming hunger among others.
This is year’s budget session runs from May 5 to July 3, 2015 and to reconvene featuring President Peter Mutharika’s Nation address which will be debated from Wednesday, May 6, to Friday May 16, following general business for one week to conclude outstanding bills from the last sitting.
“Traditionally budget session features head of state’s nation address which members will debate on it from Wednesday, May 6 till Friday May 15.
“Minister of Finance is expected to present 2015/2016 National Budget on May 22 which will allow the house to debate and have an input. On June 22 to 26, members will go into Committee of supply that government expect that on June 26, the budget is passed”, outlines Francis Katsaila, Leader of the House.
Katsaila said the Parliament is also expected to confirm the new Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda’s appointment and also discussing on bills including Reserve Bank Amendment Bill, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Nature Resources Bill, Malawi Institute of Procurement and Supply Bill, Metrology Bill and the Insolvency Bill.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, evening with Maravi Post on this year’s budget sitting, Dr. Jessie Kabwira, Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s spokesperson said her party expects honest response from government on the sale of the state-owned MBS as Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament has reported the matter to the house to spell out its resolutions.
“We want the DPP leadership to explain to us as to why some individuals and politicians’ toxic loans have been repaid the time the bank’s matter was under scrutiny and struggling financially.
“MCP expects government to explain how it is going to address the rooming hunger hit across the nation due to dry spell, floods and hailstorms. In addition to that, we expect tangible explanations on how last budget was used to trickle down many challenges Malawians are facing”, says Dr. Kabwira.
Meanwhile, opposition United Democratic Front UDF (UDF) members of Parliament are reported to be seating on government benches in cementing their relationship with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) which however, its leader in Parliament Lucius Banda refusing to relocated saying his constituents could not allow him to go to bed with UDF then wake up with DPP– MaraviPost.
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