Muinjangue tears into hopeless economy, says HPP failed to deliver
National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) leader Utjiua Muinjangue did not mince her words last week when she said government has no economic recovery plan beyond Covid-19. Muinjangue, in her contribution to the Mid-Term Budget Review, tabled in the National Assembly by Finance Minister Ipumbu Shiimi last week, painted a bleak picture of Namibia’s economic situation.
“This is a clear indication of depleted government options and fiscal space,” she said.
The academic-cum-politician would have loved to see a bigger economic stimulus package, as well as support to households and businesses “amidst a sharp economic contraction projected at 7.8%”.
She took a swipe at President Hage Geingob’s prosperity blueprint, the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP), saying the oncehyped-plan failed tremendously in terms of uplifting the majority of Namibians from the trenches of poverty.
“One wonders how different this Harambee Prosperity Plan Two will be from Harambee One. With all due respect, Harambee One produced bleak results, almost zero,” she said.
Muinjangue, who doubles as deputy health minister, is unimpressed with Shiimi’s presentation. “Your proposals presented on pages 14 and 15 of this Mid-Term Review on economic recovery and job creation sound more theoretical and academic. When do you expect to inform this House and the Namibian nation what your economic recovery plan entails?” “Seven months down the line, you came to this august House with no clear economic recovery plan,” she told Shiimi.
Among others, Muinjangue wants Shiimi to inform Namibians what plans he has in store to avoid job losses post the Covid-19 pandemic: “How can we grow the economy post-Covid-19? How can we get out of the debt trap without any prospects of economic growth?”
She blamed Namibia’s enormous debts on the pandemic and past mistakes by the government in managing the economy.
The deputy minister further asked how the continued marginalisation of the downtrodden and dejected masses of the populace can be avoided should another pandemic hit Namibia or should Covid-19 persist. These are questions Muinjangue put to Shiimi in the past. During her presidential campaign last year, she placed addressing the scourge of sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) at the centre.
This week, she repeated that Shiimi’s budget does not inspire confidence in addressing these plights if the funds allocated to law enforcement and protection institutions are anything to go by.
“SGBV in this country has reached the biblical Sodom and Gomorrah proportions. Following the people’s outcry, I was expecting more funds to be allocated towards addressing these monstrous crimes committed against our women and children,” she said. – Nampa