Post Nyanga: we demand an all-inclusive budget
Now the City of Mutare has come up and constituted what they term “a budget Committee” made up of men and women of substance from around the city that will spearhead the 2022 budget consultations and formulation process. The budget committee was tucked away in Nyanga where according to the Council, they were being capacitated and immersed in the onerous task of reviewing the current 2021 budget. MAYA notes that the committee of thirteen only has a single woman and no representative for young people which refers to it as very exclusive rather than inclusive. The deed has been done, however, we expect that this under-representation of women and youths must not be taken lightly and this has to be corrected during the next budget cycle.
From this purview, MAYA hopes and prays that the budget committee sojourn in Nyanga where they breathed fresh unpolluted air, away from the hustle and bustle of the City will bring about the expected results. It is our wish that from reviewing the 2021 budget and its performance, they also learned the lesson of what ought to be done and what should not be done. The most important element in humans is the ability to learn, relearn and unlearn certain things and certainly, we appreciate that the 2021 budget presented a worthy learning opportunity that will benefit the residents of Mutare. We also expect that council managed to unlearn the bad habit and the tendency of not consulting residents on time and in good faith.
Our expectations as MAYA from the budget committee now that they are capacitated is a people-cantered, gender and youth-friendly budget informed by the needs and priorities of the people. The work of the budget committee has been cut out for them. The budget comes at a time the nation is reeling from Covid 19 which has left residents poorer and more vulnerable than previous years as exemplified by urban families receiving livelihoods support from World Food Program and partners. Residents are stressed and stretched which relegates women and young people to the bottom of the food chain. The budget must at least consider these very important elements so that citizens will appreciate the new approach adopted by the Council of constituting the Budget Committee.
We recognize the tough choices that the Budget Committee will have to make because of the tough economic times that we are living in especially the fiscal and monetary regime marked by inflation and lack of confidence in the local currency. Some wards have no representation after their elected councillors were purged. MAYA supports the work of the budget committee however, it is our fervent hope that this Committee is not a red herring. The committee must be able to work without interference from other offices should be able to make decisions so that at the end of the day, the Committee as a whole will be accountable to the residents for the budget.
Now the budget committee must hit the ground running. Residents are waiting.