The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) welcomes the announcement by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion inviting stakeholders to submit inputs into the 2026 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review and the 2027 Budget Strategy Paper (BSP).
As an organisation that represents and advocates for the rights, interests and economic empowerment of informal economy workers, including vendors, cross-border traders and other self-employed workers, VISET views this consultative process as an important opportunity to strengthen inclusive economic governance and participatory budgeting.
We commend the Ministry of Finance for creating a platform that allows citizens, businesses, labour organisations, civil society organisations and development partners to contribute towards shaping national fiscal policy and development priorities. Broad-based stakeholder participation is essential in ensuring that national budgets respond to the realities faced by communities and economic actors across the country.
VISET is committed to actively participating in this process and will mobilise its structures nationwide to gather views and recommendations from informal economy workers and communities. In particular, VISET will engage its Socio-Economic Champions (SOCHAMPS) and Public Finance Management Community Accountability Groups (PFM-CAGs) to facilitate consultations, collect evidence-based recommendations and promote meaningful citizen participation in the budget formulation process.
Through these engagements, VISET seeks to ensure that the voices of informal economy workers are reflected in national policy discussions, particularly on issues relating to livelihoods, social protection, access to affordable finance, market infrastructure, taxation, local economic development, public service delivery and employment creation.
VISET will also make formal written submissions to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion in line with the call for stakeholder contributions. Our submissions will draw from consultations with our membership and communities, as well as evidence generated through our ongoing work on social and economic justice, public finance accountability and informal economy development.
We encourage all citizens and stakeholders to take advantage of this opportunity to contribute towards the development of responsive, inclusive and sustainable fiscal policies that support economic growth, decent livelihoods and shared prosperity.
Issued by:
Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET)
