WINDHOEK – One of the opposition parties, Swanu, wants government to slash the defence budget and a portion of the money channelled to the Ministry of Health and Social Services, as well as towards increasing social grants for pensioners and vulnerable children. Swanu President Usutuaije Maamberua made the remarks during this week’s parliamentary debate on the 2014/15 budget.
The Ministry of Defence received the second highest allocation for 2014/2015 of N$6.6 billion. “We must cut from the defence budget and re-allocate it to the health ministry so that they can reintroduce casualty services at the Windhoek Central Hospital because Katutura Hospital is overwhelmed and more medication must be procured,” said Maamberua.
Maamberua did not state by how much he wants the defence budget to be slashed. He also suggested the country needs a socialised medical system.
Maamberua said some of the money allocated to the defence ministry could be used to increase the old-age pension grant and benefits for orphans and vulnerable children.
Maamberua said the budget’s excellent macro-economic indicators are only good on paper because they neither translate into enhancement of standards of living of the grassroots, nor into poverty reduction or provision of jobs. “Budgets are about people. Figures like inflation rates, deficit rates, Gross Domestic Product are macro-economic indicators that remain vehicles towards easing socio-economic improvements,” he said.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Peya Mushelenga said he supported the budget fully but accused Maamberua of wanting a poorly resourced and weak defence force by calling for the defence budget to be slashed.
“Given his zero possibility of making it through the ballot box, I suspect him of one thing, that he wants a toothless defence force to afford him an opportunity to make a sinister and notorious chance of ascending to the throne,” said Mushelenga.
Mushelenga said he wants lawmakers to pay more attention to monitoring budget performance. “The return of funds to treasury does not augur well. Such funds could have been utilised more efficiently in other sectors that are equally in need,” he said.
The deputy minister welcomed the N$1.6 billion allocated to the Kudu gas power plant, adding that industrialisation is only possible if there is enough power supply.
By Mathias Haufiku