IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bcp/journl/v5y2021i2p607-616.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Fiscal Discipline and Budget Processes: Evidence from Zimbabwe

Author

Listed:
  • Noell Machinjike

    (Independent Researcher, Zimbabwe.)

  • Wellington G. Bonga

    (Department of Banking & Finance, Great Zimbabwe University, Zimbabwe)

Abstract

Zimbabwe is one of the least fiscally performing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, with some fiscal outcomes for years 2009 to 2019 being unsatisfactory. The IMF 2020 Article IV consultation report on Zimbabwe suggested that fiscal and monetary slippages experienced in 2018 and 2019 resulted in macroeconomic imbalances in 2019 and greater part of 2020. The study adopted a qualitative approach to investigate the relationship between fiscal discipline and the budget processes in Zimbabwe. Informed by the fiscal illusion theory as well as the formative fiscal federalism theory, the study established that the growth in fiscal indiscipline in Zimbabwe leads to widening fiscal deficits, increased direct budget financing requirements on the domestic market and unsustainable debt profile. Fiscal indiscipline is driven by weak budget institutional frameworks, party institutionalisation and economic sanctions.To enhance fiscal discipline, strengthening and implementation of existing fiscal institutional frameworks and engagement of the international community on sanctions are necessary. Publication of agreed fiscal targets for credibility purposes may help. Promoting increased savings during booms for consumption smoothening in periods during periods of droughts, cyclones and pandemics is encouraged.

Suggested Citation

  • Noell Machinjike & Wellington G. Bonga, 2021. "Fiscal Discipline and Budget Processes: Evidence from Zimbabwe," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(2), pages 607-616, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:5:y:2021:i:2:p:607-616
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/Digital-Library/volume-5-issue-2/607-616.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.rsisinternational.org/virtual-library/papers/fiscal-discipline-and-budget-processes-evidence-from-zimbabwe/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heidi Jane Smith & Sanghee Park & Liguang Liu, 2019. "Hardening Budget Constraints: A Cross-National Study of Fiscal Sustainability and Subnational Debt," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(12), pages 1055-1067, September.
    2. Husam Rjoub & Mehmet Aga & Ahmad Abu Alrub & Murad Bein, 2017. "Financial Reforms and Determinants of FDI: Evidence from Landlocked Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa," Economies, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-12, January.
    3. Sophia Gollwitzer & Eteri Kvintradze & Mr. Tej Prakash & Luis-Felipe Zanna & Ms. Era Dabla-Norris & Mr. Richard I Allen & Irene Yackovlev & Victor Duarte Lledo, 2010. "Budget Institutions and Fiscal Performance in Low-Income Countries," IMF Working Papers 2010/080, International Monetary Fund.
    4. Wyplosz, Charles & Krogstrup, Signe, 2006. "A Common Pool Theory of Deficit Bias Correction," CEPR Discussion Papers 5866, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Lasse Aaskoven, 2018. "Budget institutions and taxation," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 174(3), pages 335-349, March.
    6. Mr. Xavier Debrun & Mr. Manmohan S. Kumar, 2007. "The Discipline-Enhancing Role of Fiscal Institutions: Theory and Empirical Evidence," IMF Working Papers 2007/171, International Monetary Fund.
    7. Diana Cammack, 2007. "The Logic of African Neopatrimonialism: What Role for Donors?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 25(5), pages 599-614, September.
    8. Sangita Misra & Rajiv Ranjan, 2018. "Fiscal rules and procyclicality: an empirical analysis," Indian Economic Review, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 207-228, December.
    9. Tara McIndoe-Calder, 2018. "Hyperinflation in Zimbabwe: money demand, seigniorage and aid shocks," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(15), pages 1659-1675, March.
    10. Sophia Gollwitzer, 2011. "Budget Institutions and Fiscal Performance in Africa," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 20(1), pages 111-152, January.
    11. Fortunato, David & Loftis, Matt W., 2018. "Cabinet Durability and Fiscal Discipline," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 112(4), pages 939-953, November.
    12. Kunofiwa Tsaurai, 2018. "The Dynamics, Challenges and Transition of Banking Sector Development in Zimbabwe," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 52(3), pages 85-96, July-Sept.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jean‐Louis Combes & Xavier Debrun & Alexandru Minea & René Tapsoba, 2018. "Inflation Targeting, Fiscal Rules and the Policy Mix: Cross‐effects and Interactions," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(615), pages 2755-2784, November.
    2. Tapsoba, René, 2012. "Do National Numerical Fiscal Rules really shape fiscal behaviours in developing countries? A treatment effect evaluation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 1356-1369.
    3. Heinemann, Friedrich & Moessinger, Marc-Daniel & Yeter, Mustafa, 2018. "Do fiscal rules constrain fiscal policy? A meta-regression-analysis," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 69-92.
    4. René TAPSOBA & Alexandru MINEA & Jean-Louis COMBES, 2012. "Inflation Targeting and Fiscal Rules: Do Interactions and Sequence of Adoption Matter?," Working Papers 201223, CERDI.
    5. Jean-Louis Combes & Mr. Xavier Debrun & Alexandru Minea & Rene Tapsoba, 2014. "Inflation Targeting and Fiscal Rules: Do Interactions and Sequencing Matter?," IMF Working Papers 2014/089, International Monetary Fund.
    6. Yener Altunbaş & John Thornton, 2017. "Why Do Countries Adopt Fiscal Rules?," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 85(1), pages 65-87, January.
    7. Lledó, Victor & Poplawski-Ribeiro, Marcos, 2013. "Fiscal Policy Implementation in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 79-91.
    8. Babacar Sarr, 2016. "What Are the Drivers of Fiscal Performance Gaps between Anglophone and Francophone Africa? A Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 84(1), pages 40-62, March.
    9. Nouha Bougharriou, 2017. "Understanding Public Debt from a Political Economy Perspective," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 3, pages 379-389, September.
    10. Ms. Corinne C Delechat & Ms. Ejona Fuli & Mrs. Dafina Glaser & Mr. Gustavo Ramirez & Rui Xu, 2015. "Exiting From Fragility in sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Fiscal Policies and Fiscal Institutions," IMF Working Papers 2015/268, International Monetary Fund.
    11. Lorenzo Cicatiello & Elina Simone & Giuseppe Lucio Gaeta, 2017. "Political determinants of fiscal transparency: a panel data empirical investigation," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 315-336, November.
    12. Sophia Gollwitzer, 2010. "Budget Institutions and Fiscal Performance in Africa," Discussion Papers 10/02, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.
    13. Jocelyne Zoumenou, 2023. "On the impact of fiscal policy on inflation: The case of fiscal rules," EconomiX Working Papers 2023-21, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    14. Barbone, Luca & Islam, Roumeen & Sanchez, Luis Alvaro, 2010. "The great crisis and fiscal institutions in eastern and central Europe and central Asia," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5453, The World Bank.
    15. Jean-Louis Combes & Alexandru Minea & Pegdéwendé Nestor Sawadogo, 2019. "Assessing the effects of combating illicit financial flows on domestic tax revenue mobilization in developing countries," CERDI Working papers halshs-02019073, HAL.
    16. Miss Anke Weber, 2012. "Stock-Flow Adjustments and Fiscal Transparency: A Cross-Country Comparison," IMF Working Papers 2012/039, International Monetary Fund.
    17. Muscatelli, Vito A. & Natale, Piergiovanna & Tirelli, Patrizio, 2012. "A simple and flexible alternative to Stability and Growth Pact deficit ceilings. Is it at hand?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 14-26.
    18. Bachtrögler, Julia & Badinger, Harald & Fichet de Clairfontaine, Aurélien & Reuter, Wolf Heinrich, 2014. "Summarizing Data using Partially Ordered Set Theory: An Application to Fiscal Frameworks in 97 Countries," Department of Economics Working Paper Series 181, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    19. Amelie BARBIER-GAUCHARD & Kea BARET & Alexandru MINEA, 2019. "National Fiscal Rules Adoption and Fiscal Discipline in the European Union," Working Papers of BETA 2019-40, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    20. Badinger, Harald & Reuter, Wolf Heinrich, 2017. "The case for fiscal rules," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 334-343.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:5:y:2021:i:2:p:607-616. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dr. Pawan Verma (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijriss/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.