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{
    "id": 105462,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/105462/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 347,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Namwamba",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 108,
        "legal_name": "Ababu Tawfiq Pius Namwamba",
        "slug": "ababu-namwamba"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, that is a demonstration of the lack of seriousness I am talking about. This is a matter that must be prosecuted in its fullness. This is a historic moment. When has this House ever had an opportunity before to interrogate a matter of this nature? This is a matter that we must have sufficient time to engage and participate in fully. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Budget must connect to issues of bread and butter. These are issues that have a direct bearing on the progress and development of this nation. I want to take special note of the concern raised by the Committee in terms of linking the Budget to poverty reduction strategies and Millennium Development Goals (MDG). I am particularly concerned that there has not been any clear attempt by the Budget Policy Statement to give us a way of dealing with food security. Through the Economic Stimulus Package, we have been able to raise food production in this country ten-fold. I represent a constituency in his House that has traditionally suffered from flooding. But we have been on a path of fixing the flooding menace in Budalangi over the last two years to the extent that while it has flooded everywhere this year, Budalangi has not been mentioned among the areas that have suffered floods. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the result of that is that we are having a bumper harvest. We have harvested more rice than we have ever harvested in the history of this place and yet getting a market for this rice has been a problem. A lot of food that is being harvested in Budalang’i and in other parts of this country is going to waste because the Government is not providing clear plans and clear budgetary provisions to wipe away the excess food and set it aside for the future. That is why, for me, the most important issue I have noted, in the work of the Budget Committee is that Budget proposals must be clearly linked to planning and Budget proposals must respond to the real issues that affect people, and no issue comes bigger or more significantly than the issue of food security. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I also want to commend the Committee on the recommendations that they have made; very solid recommendations which I believe that if they are implemented, will form the basis for this House to play, not the role of a flower girl at a wedding or Cinderella, but a real solid and concrete comprehensive productive role as an oversight organ of state. This is because unless we participate in the manner that we are attempting to do, the role of this House in budget making will be nothing more than a rubberstamp and dancing to the tune of the Government. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, in the interest of time, I want to support this Motion."
}