The Zimbabwe Peace Project has rapped Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube for budgeting for space satilite at a time when majority citizens are wallowing in perpetual poverty due to economic crunch.

ZPP made the criticism in its latest report.

“Minister of Finance and Economic Development Mthuli Ncube presented the ZWD63, 66 billion 2020 budget titled ‘Gearing for Higher Productivity, Growth and Job creation’,” ZPP said.

“Notable and commendable changes were that the education and health sectors received the highest allocations at ZWD10, 7 billion and ZWD6, 5 billion respectively; a shift from the past where the defence ministry received the highest allocation.”

ZPP said furthermore, government set aside ZWD200 million to procure sanitary wear for disadvantaged women and girls, a welcome relief for millions of girls for whom sanitary wear was inaccessible due to high prices.

“Interestingly, while the majority of citizens are reeling in extreme poverty the budget statement also set aside resources for a space satellite,” said ZPP.

“Minister Ncube however announced the continuation of subsidies to Command Agriculture and Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) while scrapping grain subsidies to grain millers.”

ZPP said the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMZ) subsequently announced an increase in the price of mealie meal from ZWD55 to ZWD101, 66.

“The public outcry that followed led President Emmerson Mnangagwa to restore the subsidies. He stated that he had not been consulted before the decision was taken,” the watchdog said.

-Byo24