Several Members of Parliament, especially from Matebeleland North, had argued that the project should benefit the province as it was one of the least developed in the country, forcing young people from the area to go to South Africa to look for jobs.
“I just want to shift the debate slightly from what my other collaugeus have been talking about. They were more focused on this project in Lupane and they were also talking about Matabeleland North. I want to mention that if this investment is done in Lupane, it is not only done for the people in Lupane. It is critical that all the support that we are supposed to give as a nation in order for us to mine methane gas must be done, not with an eye that will exclude Lupane and we are excluding Matabeleland North but we are including Zimbabwe,” Nyathi said in his contribution to the motion on domestic resource mobilization.
“I say so because you will realise that once we invest in an investment which is worth trillions and trillions of dollars, what it means is that the tax that country to the Central Government become also enlarged and they come in large volumes and the Central Government will then distribute those resources to other areas in Zimbabwe where there is much need. What it also means is that employment is also then increased.
“When we are employing, we are not only employing people from Matabeleland North or people from Lupane, but from all over Zimbabwe – those that are good in administration and all these industries have a ripple effect. You start your manufacturing, you see there is already a market there, it means we are now growing our industry domestically. What it means is that our GDP as Zimbabwe grows. So, the idea is not really to focus on whether the people in Matabeleland North are going to benefit as singled out, it is going to benefit everyone.”
Full contribution:
HON. R. R. NYATHI: Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir. Allow me to add my voice on the motion that was moved by Hon. Dr. Khupe and seconded by Hon. Gabbuza. I think Dr. Khupe has moved a very good topic to this motion. Domestic resource mobilisation which means that we have the resources and these resources are in our backyard but we are now lacking is mobilisation of those resources so that they can help the residents, the people of Zimbabwe so that our livelihood would improve.
I just want to shift the debate slightly from what my other collaugeus have been talking about. There were more focused on this project in Lupane and they were also talking about Matabeleland North. I want to mention that if this investment is done in Lupane, it is not only done for the people in Lupane. It is critical that all the support that we are supposed to give as a nation in order for us to mine methane gas must be done, not with an eye that will exclude Lupane and we are excluding Matabeleland North but we are including Zimbabwe. I say so because you will realise that once we invest in an investment which is worth trillions and trillions of dollars, what it means is that the tax that country to the Central Government become also enlarged and they come in large volumes and the Central Government will then distribute those resources to other areas in Zimbabwe where there is much need. What it also means is that employment is also then increased.
When we are employing, we are not only employing people from Matabeleland North or people from Lupane, but from all over Zimbabwe – those that are good in administration and all these industries have a ripple effect. You start your manufacturing, you see there is already a market there, it vmeans we are now growing our industry domestically. What it means is that our GDP as Zimbabwe grows. So, the idea is not really to focus on whether the people in Matabeleland North are going to benefit as singled out, it is going to benefit everyone. Once you do that – other speakers who have spoken have spoken about our young people going to seek jobs in South Africa and Botswana. What it means is; we then have to stop the brain drain because Zimbabwe is a country where we are number one on matters of education and fitness. Many countries around the world are benefitting because of the investment. Education is investment, so Zimbabwe is investing in its people so that when these people finish school, be it Form 4, 6 or degrees they must work in Zimbabwe in order to grow Zimbabwe.
Mr. Speaker, it is quite prudent for us as Parliamentarians, as Zimbabweans, to make sure that we channel our resources towards the exploration and mining of methane gas. I also want to mention that Hon. Togarepi has raised something very critical, that whilst it is important for us to channel our resources or to look for investors that will come and help us to mine gas in Lupane, we must do it with prudence because we do not have to rush; we just have to do it. I think Hon. Togarepi was saying we must channel our resources knowing that in mining methane gas there are three other minerals that go hand in hand with that mineral. So it is a mineral that will improve the economy of our country.
Mr. Speaker, there is need for us to look for investors and do so as soon as possible. We must also move with time. There is no need for us not to see where we are going. Hon. Gabbuza mentioned that we should move with time, that when people were moving to modernisation of having cellphones we were busy building post offices which are now idle. We need now to look at how we can utilise these buildings for the benefit of our nation. People are now moving from vehicles that are petrol and diesel driven to electrical and solar. We need to be compliant but we are still busy buying those cars yet in fifteen years from now we will not be having any back-up for those vehicles which we are buying. We need to move with time.
Zimbabwe must invest in research and development so that whatever we want to do we will be able to see the future before we get there. I want to thank Hon. Dr. Khupe and his seconder for bringing up this motion which I think we need to look at in the same view as we also look at other minerals. We must explore and polish them with wisdom. I thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.
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Platinum yakasvika kupi , nezvimwe zvicherwa ?. Kune akamboti ndakayenda kuchikoro kusvika vhasiti nekuda kwe platinum etc ? , kunze kana baba vanemugodi wegoride pamusha.
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