Economic growth target too optimistic � BoB

In the 2016/2017 budget speech presented in February, finance minister, Kenneth Matambo projected the economy to bounce back from a negative 0.3 percent growth rate in 2015 to 4.2 percent this year.

But in a report highlighting the 2016 Business Expectations Survey (BES) released on Tuesday, the central bank said in spite of the fiscal interventions through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) there still exist challenges that are likely to retard economic growth to levels south of the projected 4.2 percent.