Maputo, 9 Nov (AIM) – The Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, approved on Wednesday a budget of over 2.6 billion meticais (40.7 million dollars, at the current exchange rate) for its operating and capital expenditure for 2024.
The bill was approved only by MPs of the ruling Frelimo party, since all the opposition deputies, from Renamo, the largest opposition party, and from the Mozambique Democratic Movement (MDM), once again boycotted the plenary in protest at the preliminary results of the municipal elections announced by the National Elections Commission (CNE) which gave Frelimo victory in 64 of the 64 Municipalities.
“The proposal for the parliament’s budget for 2024, due to the need to contain expenditure, points to a reduction of around 14 % compared to the 2023 budget,” said Hélder Injojo, a Frelimo deputy and chairperson of the parliament’s administrative council, who presented the document.
Of the amount approved, the largest portion goes to what is discreetly referred to as operational expenditure, which will absorb just over 2.5 billion meticais (39 million US dollars). Most of this is for the wages and allowances paid to the deputies themselves.
The remainder, equivalent to 1.7 million US dollars, will go towards capital costs, Injojo added.
Injojo said that the administrative council’s activities in 2024 will prioritise strengthening parliament’s representative, legislative and supervisory functions and institutional capacity building.
“The instruments approved today are aimed at creating premises so that this house can fulfil its role next year, fulfilling its mission of representing the noblest interests of the Mozambican people, ensuring legislative production for the functioning of our state and ensuring supervisory action,” emphasised Hélder Injojo.
As in the past, the Assembly passed its own budget before even discussing the 2024 State Budget.
(AIM)
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