Malawi President Joyce Banda has approved the convening of Parliament on May 17 2013 to, among other things, table her administration’s second and the last national budget before elections next year.

Speaker of Parliament Henry Chimunthu Banda confirmed that the President will officially open the budget meeting.

Parliament convenes after the consultation between the Head of State and the Speaker and President Banda has convened it for May 17, according to Chimunthu Banda.

In a media statement made available to Nyasa Times, the Speaker informed that the Head of State will officially open the budget meeting.

“Her Excellency Dr Joyce Banda, President of the Republic of Malawi will officially open the budget meeting at the National Assembly,” reads the Speaker’s statement.

Finance Minister Ken Lipenga has been conducting pre-budget consultation meetings ahead of the 2013/2014 budget session.

The aim of the consultations was  to solicit views, contributions and inputs from all stakeholders in the country on the 2013/2014 budget.

The ministry of finance is mandated to formulate economic and fiscal policy and manage financial and material resources of the government of Malawi in order to realise balanced and sustainable economic growth and to reduce poverty.