2024 Budget: Mthuli Rapped for Punitive Taxes
The 2024 Budget presented by Minister Mthuli Ncube has been described as not people centric.
Citizens say his budget does not strike a balance between addressing the immediate economic challenges facing our country and laying the groundwork for sustainable growth for Zimbabwe.
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They rapped Mthuli for a budget that they say severely punishes people for being Zimbabwean.
Veteran journalist Hopewell Chin'ono suggested Mthuli's proposal were evidence that “the economy has totally collapsed and that point is no longer debatable. The government is also totally broke due to failed economic policies and massive corruption that involves the looting of public funds and the plunder of the country’s natural resources.”
He added that:
“The budget is so bad such that it penalises old people who bought their homes in the 1980s or 1990s, old people who lost all their pensions and savings twice.”
What happened today in Zimbabwe when Mthuli Ncube presented his comical yet terrible budget is a clear sign of a spectacular tragic failure to run a country.
The economy has totally collapsed and that point is no longer debatable.
The government is also totally broke due to… pic.twitter.com/YgW7501yeC— Hopewell Chin’ono (@daddyhope) November 30, 2023
User (@MsengeziSybeth) said the taxes will burden the ordinary people:
“A US$200 passport & taxes that will burden the ordinary man by the confused professor Mthuli Ncube.
These guys wake up daily thinking about how best to make life difficult for ordinary Zimbabweans.
Too much education made us stupid, we accept anything thrown in our faces.”
The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) described the budget as anti-people and lacking in compassion.
🟡We strongly oppose Mthuli Ncube's budget for 2024, which is anti-people, lacks compassion, and is excessively harsh! #WeNeedNewLeaders pic.twitter.com/FYGH8u4vw6
— Citizens' Coalition for Change (@CCCZimbabwe) November 30, 2023
Mt Pleasant MP, Advocate Fadzi Mahere described the proposed budget as anti-people. She said:
“According to Mthuli Ncube’s presentation, Zimbabwe’s international debt exceeds US$17bn.
This means a large chunk of the wealth tax and other extortionate taxes we will pay will go towards paying interest on our debts, especially the expensive ones owed to Afreximbank and China. Not much will be left for public health, education, water and sanitation as well as food security. The citizens will be saddled underfunded basic services, which leads to more suffering.
The Minister regrettably said precious little about how the debt crisis will be resolved.
The entire budget is anti-people. It’s a mess.”
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2024 Budget: Mthuli Rapped for Punitive Taxes
Marondera legislator Caston Matewu said:
“The continued presentation of the budget in Zim dollars in a USD economy makes the who budget a complete facade.”
1. The preposterous budget presented by Hon Prof Mthuli Ncube presents the biggest attack on the hardworking and poor people of this country; a seismic attack on businesses, motorists, homeowners, vendors, the list is endless, in a country whose majority live in extreme poverty.
— Caston Matewu (@cmatewu) December 1, 2023
Norton legislature Richard Tsvangirai dismissed the minister's budget proposal as not in line with international commitments.
“The proposed budget by Mthuli Ncube should be rejected by every Zimbabwean because it seeks to destroy jobs and burden already struggling, highly taxed Zimbabweans.
Secondly, the proposed budget is not in line with the international commitments; in particular, it falls short of the required
● Education: 20% Education for All Initiative (2000)
● Health: 15% Abuja Declaration (2001).”
The proposed budget by Mthuli Ncube should be rejected by every Zimbabwean because it seeks to destroy jobs and burden already struggling, highly taxed Zimbabweans.
Secondly, the proposed budget is not in line with the international commitments; in particular, it falls short of… pic.twitter.com/SjwDjrzdxE
— Richard Tsvangirayi (@RTsvangirayi) December 1, 2023
