AfricaPress-Tanzania: FROM economists to taxpayers there are high expectations from the 2020/2021 national budget, with many Tanzanians looking forward to more socio-economic progress in the coming fiscal year.
The budget that will be unveiled today by Finance and Planning Minister, Dr Philip Mpango will be the final budget of President John Magufuli’s first five-year, reform-oriented tenure.
Some of the economists and ordinary citizens who spoke to the ‘Daily News’ yesterday, wanted to see the 2020/21 budget pay more focus on financing ongoing development projects, improvement of healthcare services, mitigation of economic effects of Covid-19, and improve the lives of poor Tanzanians.
The Zanzibar University Economics Professor Haji Semboja described the 2020/21 budget as ‘transitional one’, coming at a time of government’s transition ahead of the next general election.
“I expect that this budget will continue implementing what the current government has started as promised during the 2015 elections campaigns,” Prof Semboja asserted. He also said since the novel coronavirus has somehow impacted the economy, the budget has to have mechanisms to cushion the effects.
Another Economics and Investment expert, Dr Hildebrand Shayo, said he would like to see the budget prioritising on key economic sectors.
“This budget should look at how to absorb the effects of the Coronavirus since several institutions currently assess the impacts,” Dr Shayo opined.
The wananchi’s expectations included enhanced affordable healthcare services to benefit the majority of citizens.
Ms Mwanaidi Msuya, a petty trader and a resident of Temeke Dar es Salaam said that healthcare costs should be reduced especially in government hospitals.
“The money we get from the businesses we do is very little, it becomes very hard to afford good healthcare service; That is why we opt to go to substandard clinics,” revealed Ms Msuya.
“I often earn below 10,000/-a day, and when I go to the hospital I am expected to pay upfront 6,000/-before getting any service. When I want to give birth I need 80,000/-excluding other expenses for a normal delivery; This is just too much compared to our incomes,” she explained. Ms Asmaa Mateju, who is also a petty trader at Temeke said she was expecting the budget to reflect on the business identification cards while considering the level of the petty traders.
“Some of our business does not correspond with 20,000/-we are paying. We all want to contribute to the government, but my capital is below 5,000/-while I am required to pay the same amount with those with a 50,000/-business capital,” she explained.
Articulating his wishes on the new budget, the Assistant Manager of Image Bar near Tazara, Mr Laurian Wenceslaus commented that healthcare costs should be made affordable to a common person.
“Healthcare costs especially for those who are involved in accidents are high and cannot be afforded by a poor individual like me.” expressed Mr Wenceslaus.
He further expressed that the budget should not increase prices of drinks like alcohol, wishing for fair prices to Tanzanians; Both sellers and final consumers, suggesting for the prices to remain the same or drop a little.
Commenting on the issue of the coronavirus and the level seat directives, Mr Wenceslaus said that with people getting back to daily routines, leading to traffic jams, the situation is hurting bus owners and drivers.
He suggested that either bus fares should be raised or taxes on petroleum products lowered, to help create a fair business environment for bus owners and drivers.
Meanwhile, Mr Hamza Hamadi, a bus driver with Mnazi Mmoja–Buza route commended the government for placing the motor vehicle licence fee in petroleum fuel; Saying it is an easy way for everyone to pay the fee and easy for the government to collect its revenue.
