Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
ZIPAR) Executive Director Dr. Pamela Kabaso
The Zambia Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR) Executive Director Pamela Kabaso says Finance Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe should explain why important key fiscal legal reforms such as the budgeting and planning bill have not enacted.
Dr. Kabaso says the budgeting and planning bill, review of the loans and guarantees act and the public procurement act are key in managing the country’s debt and fiscal consolidation.
Speaking at the ZIPAR 2019 budget media engagement, Dr. Kabaso has also noted that the gravity of the recent withdraw of donor aid by some cooperating partners has the potential to affect every Zambian if not handled very well.
Meanwhile Dr. Kabaso has praised journalists in the country for executing their oversight role on governance matters diligently, urging them to continue being proactive.
And ZIPAR Research Fellow Ceaser Cheelo has appealed to donor countries to help Zambians get an explanation on the 42 million US Dollars spent on the procurement of fire tenders by government.
Mr. Cheelo says the intervention of the donor community might solicit quicker action from government just like the withdraw of funding from the social cash transfer by aid agencies did.
He has bemoaned the lack of a clear statement regarding the procurement of the fire engines.
Meanwhile Mr Cheelo has observed that it has become difficult for Zambia to service the external debt due to the high exchange rate.