Tanzanian parliamentary budget session will begin in the capital Dodoma Tuesday to debate the east African nation’s budget for 2019/2020, a statement released by the Parliament’s office said on Monday.

The government of Tanzania plans to spend 33.1 trillion Tanzanian shillings (about 14.3 billion U.S. dollars) in the 2019/2020 financial year, up from the 32.5 trillion shillings it targeted to spend in 2018/2019, according to the statement.

The statement said the budget session will start from April 2 and end before June 30 this year to pave way for the start of the new financial year starting on July 1.

Maulid Mtulia, the Member of Parliament for Kinondoni constituency, said he hoped that the 2019/2020 budget will allocate enough funds for completion of implementation of the election manifesto of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi which President John Magufuli pledged to fulfill during presidential campaigns in the 2015 general election.

The chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Constitution and Legal Affairs, Mohamed Mchengerwa, said he was optimistic that large amounts of the 2019/2020 budget will be spent on development projects.

However, the opposition camp in Parliament said the government should concentrate on implementation of projects that will empower ordinary people.

“The government should also pay contractors on time to improve money circulation,” said shadow deputy Minister for Finance and Planning, David Silinde.

Tanzania’s economy is forecast to grow 7.3 percent in 2019, from an estimated 7.2 percent last year.

Source: African Daily Voice

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