Bunge session resumes after ‘turbulent’ week

NASONGELYA KILYINGA in Dodoma

THE marathon budget session of the National Assembly resumes here this morning, after a one day recess yesterday.

It is a week expected to be full of action, judging where the House left off after an eventful seven-day period that saw a cabinet minister losing his job after he entered the chambers under the influence of alcohol.

After the traditional questions- and-answers session in the morning; MPs will continue debating the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development 2016/2017 budget estimates.

The Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, William Lukuvi, is expected to wind up the debate in the evening. Land grabbing, ownership, decent settlements and Kigamboni City development were among issues that sparked heated debate on the first day on Saturday, when Mr Lukuvi tabled his 61.8bn/- budget.

Mr Lukuvi had told the House that being a cross-cutting issue, his ministry is set to work together with the ministries of Natural Resources and Tourism; Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries; and the President’s Office - Regional Administration and Local Government, TAMISEMI, to jointly address land disputes in the country.

He told the House that they will come up with a joint programme that will guide them when handling land issues. The Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Prof Jumanne Maghembe, will later table his ministry’s budget estimates for the 2016/2017 fiscal year.

The estimates will be debated for two days before the Minister for Education, Science, Technology and Vocational Training, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, tables her ministry’s budget.

Prof Ndalichako’s estimates will be debated for two days -- on Thursday and Friday -- before giving room to the Ministry of Water and Irrigation to present its budget estimates for two days -- Saturday and May 30 (Monday). Foreign Affairs, East Africa, Regional and International Cooperation’s Minister Dr Augustine Mahiga will present his ministry’s budget estimates on May 31.

Tabling of ministerial budget estimates will be concluded by the presentation of the Finance and Planning’s ministry estimates, which will be debated for only one day, June 1.

According to the timetable released by the Bunge Office, the government and the Budget Committee will review MPs’ contributions during the past two months with a view to incorporating their valid contributions.

This work will be done for at least six days, after which, a seminar on Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be conducted to MPs on June 4. June 8 is a date the 2016/2017 Budget will be read by the Minister for Finance and Planning, Dr Philip Mpango, to comply with the East African Community (EAC) budget date.

Earlier, the budget was to be read on June 9 but the chairperson said dates for end of the session, which is set on July 1 will not change. In the EAC countries, budgets are read on the same day, which also ensures no member country comes up with taxation measures contrary to the agreements and protocols signed by member states