News:

The majority of East African nations read their budgets recently, where Kenya intended to use an amount of Ksh. 2.1 trillion, Tanzania an amount of Tsh.22.4 trillion ($10.9 billion), first priority being given to the forthcoming general elections planned to be held on October this year.

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Comment:

Although the budget of Tanzania for 2015/2016 fiscal year has increased by 16%, compared to the 2014/2015 fiscal year of Tsh.19.6 trillion, still as the norm of these capitalist democratic budgets, they always remain to be a burden and distress to the innocent civilians. According to the 2015/2016 fiscal budget, the price of petrol, diesel and kerosene shot up to Tsh.50-100. A move which will automatically lead to the increase of transport expenses to commuters, farm produce and manufacturing. Thus adding more distress, burdens and encumbrance to small scale farmers who constitute 80% of the total citizens.

Pertaining to the Tanzanian budget, it is alleged it has reduced foreign donors’ dependency; this is a great shame and laughable. How can one dare say this while the national internal and external loans have escalated to an appalling percent of 21% from Tsh.30 trillion on March 2014, to 35 trillion March this year? While 73% constitutes external loans. Apart from mentioning the depreciation of the Tanzanian shillings value, shooting the price of staple items.

As for the collection of budget income of this year, the government has said it will put more emphasis for the businessmen to use electronic filing depository (EFD). A long controversial issue between the government and the businessmen community.

The democratic systems tend to turn the budget and election days as special days to offer false hope to the citizens. However, the papers of their mendacity are obsolete; making them rave the same issue over and over again.

 

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by

Masoud Msellem

Deputy Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in East Africa