ZANU PF legislator, Tionei Melody Dziva, who represents the Midlands province under the women’s quota, torched a storm of controversy last week after rubbishing claims of high unemployment in the country.
“If there was poverty in this country we would be seeing dead bodies all over,’’ said Dziva at a youth employment conference organized by the Youth Forum at Jameson Hotel in Harare recently.
Helped by provisions in the new constitution, a record of 124 women joined Parliament after last year’s elections with Dziva, aged 29 being the youngest female representative. The former university student activist also sits on the parliamentary portfolio committee on youth employment, indigenization.
“I do not think your figures (on unemployment) are realistic that unemployment rate is at over 65%,” Dziva told delegates.“We have taxi drivers, air time vendors, hair dressers and farmers that economists ignore under their definition of employment, yet these people are employed. If it is true that the rate of unemployment is so high, there would be no one in this country.”
The National Statistics Report published by Central Statistical Office (Zimbabwe) this year pegged the country’s unemployment rate at 11% against the 86% suggested by independent economists.A number of participants questioned Dziva’s assertions. One delegate responded, “I would like to know Honourable Dziva, do you want to see dead bodies all over in order to believe that we are suffering?” asked a visibly angry participant from among the delegates.Michael Kandukutu, the National Organizing Secretary for the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) said the government’s definition of unemployment is misleading.
“The government must revise the definition of unemployment otherwise it will miss targets,” said Kandukutu.The government has often been blamed for falsifying unemployment figures in order to cover up for its failure to deliver the 2.3 million new jobs promised by Zanu PF and its leaders when campaigning for last year’s elections.
Sally Dura, chair of the Youth Forum and facilitator of the conference, had to intervene and calm emotions as the situation nearly turned out of hand.
By Natasha Justin and Philemon Jambaya
