admininclude the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment and the Zimbabwe Youth Council.
This is what it looked like: votes were reduced more than the anticipated GDP (-4,09 percent) and the 2012 budget (-9 percent) revisions.
There are serious inconsistencies and inconsideration to the youth sector in the announcement by the minister and his proposed measures. The clear inevitable consequences being brought about by the national budget review for the youths are the continuation of the non-disbursement of funds under the Youth Development Fund; the reduction of the allocation of the Youth Development Fund by 50 percent. Then there is the non-disbursement of the Employment Creation Fund; the scrapping of the Employment Creation Fund; the reduction of the allocation of the Youth Grants by 50 percent and the disbursement of only US$7 000 under the Youth Grant.
There is also the almost 20 percent budget cut for the Zimbabwe Youth Council and 50 percent for the National Youth Service and a slap in the face to the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Fund of US$3 million.
When we analysed the percentage of rationalisation across votes we noticed that the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development original estimate was $8 950 000 and the Amended Estimate is $5 659 000 bringing a percentage decrease of -36,77 percent.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s original estimate was $9 087 000 and was amended to $6 730 000 arriving at a percentage of -25,94 percent. The Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality’s original estimate was $6 015 000 and was reviewed to $4 572 000 giving a percentage review of -23,99 percent.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development’s original estimate was $226 791 000 and the amended estimate was 184,980,000 resulting in a review percentage of -18.44 percent.
Turning to the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment (on paragraphs 212 to 217), the minister says: “Mr Speaker, Sir, consistent with the 2012 budget, women and youth capacitating and empowering programmes will be prioritised and this will be anchored on improving access to credit through establishing micro-finance programmes and also by providing adequate training and education on the importance of saving.
Contrary to this commitment the minister has also reduced the 2012 budget allocations by more than what is expected in view of the MTFPR framework review.
For the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment the original estimate was only $48 280 000 against the population of the size of three quarters of our country, the amended figure is now $40 246 000, bringing the percentage decrease to 16,64 percent from the already not sufficient allocation.
It may be argued that the review of Vote 19 for the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment is in line with the general downward review of the budget.
However, a closer look at the nature of the review vis-à-vis the statement by the minister reveals inconsistencies mentioned above. The total revision for Vote 19 was $8 million and the assumption would be that such a review would have been made in a manner that would not compromise the effectiveness of Government policy towards youth empowerment and employment creation.
Looking in detail at the Ministry of Youth’s vote, the total allocation as at the beginning of the year was $48 280 000, the Unaudited Expenditure as at June 2012 is $16 113 185. The amended estimate as above is $40 246 000, giving us a downward review of $8 034 000.
What these figures are not showing is the fact that the heaviest downward review was on the current transfers component of the Vote ($6,3m). If the current transfers section is further analysed, it becomes apparent that the policy thrust and the proposed measures are not achieving the same goals.
l Innocent Katsande is the communications officer for the Zimbabwe Youth Council
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