Mlondolozi Ndlovu
The Minister of Youth, Indigenization and Economic Chris Mushowe has revealed that the government is making plans to meet the Sungulani Max Chikumbutso of SAITH Investment who invented a helicopter and an electric car.
While there have been various debates on whether Chikumbutso’s invention is legitimate or adapted technology Mushowe revealed that the government would meet him.
Speaking on the sidelines of International Youth Day celebrations at Monomotapa hotel in Harare, on Thursday Mushowe said the ‘inventor’ has done the country proud and he ought to be supported.
‘Government is making plans to meet with the young natural inventor and see what can be done about it’ said Mushowe.
He further reiterated that the government will be very much willing to fund such innovative brains and avoid a situation where other countries hijack them.
‘If we have the Youth Development Fund those are the kind of people we must support. We must avoid a situation where foreign countries take over such intellectual property’ he added
Minister acknowledged that there is high unemployment prevalence rate among the young of Zimbabwe but blamed it on the legacy of colonial oppression.
“We have the largest number of unemployment which was caused by foreigners who plundered our natural resources.
“Now this is the time to exploit our resources and benefit from them,” said Mushowe.
He said his Ministry was following up on the loans that were disbursed to young people over the past years, saying with 7 months in office he had visited 7 provinces.
He however bemoaned the fact that most youths are failing to pay the loans and that most of them were not bringing viable project proposal for funding purposes.
The Youth Day commemorations were held under the theme ‘Youth Civil engagement’ and were attended by government officials, UN representative and AFDB representative and youths from across the country.
