The MDC vice chairperson Tendai rebuked Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube on some of the proposals he made in the 2019 national budget. Biti said that it is illegal to demand duty on imported cars in United States dollars and not in other currencies such as the bond note and RTGS which are also legal tender.
He also condemned the proposal made by Ncube that the military should be used to enforce traffic fines at police roadblocks as illegality. Said Biti
Firstly, the Finance minister suggested that duty for imported vehicles and other selected commodities must be paid in United States dollars, which is legal tender, but the bond note is also legal tender, and it is unfortunate for the budget to suggest that for certain commodities, duty should be in US dollars. It is illegal.
Another illegality is that the budget statement says by-elections should be held after every one year or two years, but the Electoral Act is clear that by-elections must be within 90 days of a vacancy.
For the Finance minister to also say that traffic fines must be enforced by the military is also unconstitutional and illegal because the law and order maintenance function are vested on the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
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