Kadoma Central Member of Parliament Fani Phiri has likened sanctions, which he said were responsible for high unemployment in his constituency, to a tokoloshi that everyone wants to disown- the person who sought it and the person who sold it.
“There is an issue that is normally talked about, a ‘tokoloshi’. There is a man who went to look for this ‘tokoloshi’ in another country in order to get rich. He took this ‘tokoloshi’ and brought it to his home hoping it would bring him money, but it ended up not giving him money, instead it took his wife and children.
“When he tried to return it where he had got it from, this ‘tokoloshi’ refused to return and he took it to another country. When he took it back to the person who had given him, the person refused to take it back.
“I would want to liken this to those who went and called for sanctions. This ‘tokoloshi’, where they got it from, the Europeans and Americans do not want it anymore; they are saying this is yours. In this House, we keep fighting over this ‘tokoloshi’ that has its owners.
“Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank you for affording me this time to contribute, but what I strongly request is that if only we were united as hon. members and address bread and butter issues. We need to be united and speak with one voice because the issues of cancer, hunger, Constituency Development Funds, and employment creation need us to be united. Let us first get rid of this ‘tokoloshi’.”
Phiri said people in his constituency were suffering because of the closure of three major companies- David Whitehead, The Cold Storage Commission and Dairibord.
He appealed to the government to make sure that these companies would be reopened as they had been closed because of sanctions.
Here is his full contribution:
MR. PHIRI: Firstly, I would like to congratulate you Mr. Speaker for being elected to that Chair. You started off by showing that you are a competent leader. Each and every day, you lead us prudently within the regulations of our party ZANU PF which yearns for discipline. I would also like to congratulate our ZANU PF President, His Excellency, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, a very strong leader who is consistent with both his words and actions.
I want to congratulate him for winning resoundingly in the elections. The victory drew a lot of international attention and shocked the white community and the white-imitating blacks whom we have among us.
His Excellency’s Speech which was delivered in this august House was heard by those with ears and those without ears are seen by continuously denying the presence of sanctions. The President spoke about schools, agriculture, industries and so on. I do not want to continue repeating what he said because I will be wasting your valuable time. I am sure you know everything.
On the issue of denying the presence of sanctions as outlined by the President, I will relate it to what happened in the year 1983 when the HIV and AIDS pandemic started. Some people were in a denial mode and yet they were infected. Even until the year 1997 when many people died and were continuing to die of the viral disease, others continued to deny its existence. That situation best describes what is happening to some of us today. Some are continuously in the denial mood and they will remain in that mood until our people die of hunger.
Mr. Speaker Sir, Kadoma Constituency where I come from, is a mining and farming area. Most companies like David Whitehead, Cold Storage, Dairibord and so on, were closed down. People are not employed because of sanctions. People from my constituency are requesting that we address the bread and butter issues and not to continue denying the presence of sanctions.
Mr. Speaker Sir, our roads are degraded and there is no water because of sanctions. We want our youth to get employed but there are no such opportunities. Therefore, we intend to ensure that our youth get employment so that we have future leaders who have decent homes, are empowered to fend for their families and are able to send their children to schools. This can only be a reality – as outlined by the President, if the sanctions are removed.
Mr. Speaker Sir, as I have already said that my constituency is surrounded by mining areas, many people were employed in those mines but now the mines have closed down because of sanctions. Therefore, what I request Mr. Speaker Sir, is that in the constituency that I represent, if only the Government could reopen these mines that are closing down for employment.
I would want to continue by looking at industries such as the Cold Storage. The Cold Storage Commission in Kadoma was built as a Commission that would sell meat outside the country, but because of sanctions, the Cold Storage Commission has since closed down. I am requesting that the Cold Storage Commission be reopened and we seek markets elsewhere so that people can get employment.
We have David Whitehead that I have mentioned before, Mr. Speaker. David Whitehead was the backbone of employment in Kadoma. The company held three quarters of the employed in Kadoma, but due to the fact that it closed down, it means three quarters of the people in Kadoma are unemployed. For that reason, the council in Kadoma cannot get any revenue because people are not employed. My request is, Government should invest and reopen David Whitehead for job creation.
Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, there is a lot that is in Kadoma. I talked about the denial mood. There is an issue that is normally talked about, a ‘tokoloshi’. There is a man who went to look for this ‘tokoloshi’ in another country in order to get rich. He took this ‘tokoloshi’ and brought it to his home hoping it would bring him money, but it ended up not giving him money, instead it took his wife and children. When he tried to return it where he had got it from, this ‘tokoloshi’ refused to return and he took it to another country. When he took it back to the person who had given him, the person refused to take it back. I would want to liken this to those who went and called for sanctions. This ‘tokoloshi’, where they got it from, the Europeans and Americans do not want it anymore; they are saying this is yours. In this House, we keep fighting over this ‘tokoloshi’ that has its owners.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I want to thank you for affording me this time to contribute, but what I strongly request is that if only we were united as hon. members and address bread and butter issues. We need to be united and speak with one voice because the issues of cancer, hunger, Constituency Development Funds, and employment creation need us to be united. Let us first get rid of this ‘tokoloshi’. Thank you.
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