Chinese firms to bring own workers

Published: 10 December 2017

Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa said the Chinese companies contracted to build the new parliament and the Robert Mugabe International Airport were coming with their workforce under the $153 million loan agreement, NewZimbabwe.com reported.

The Chinese government on Wednesday extended a $153 million loan to Zimbabwe for the building of the country's new parliament and the rehabilitation of the Robert Mugabe International Airport.

The loan which has a 20 year repayment period including a seven (7) year grace period has an interest rate of 2% per year.

Minister Chinamasa said government was going to negotiate the number of locals to be employed by the Chinese companies.

"The contractors in both cases are Chinese companies and it is important between us to determine the Zimbabwean workforce component at both those construction sites; that is a matter that we will discuss with the Chinese companies," Chinamasa told reporters at the grant signing ceremony in Harare.

"The two projects are construction projects and they are going to employ a lot of artisans and builders, not just in terms of employment but also we are going to see the sourcing of a lot of materials locally and I look forward to the commencement of those projects with a view to enhancing employment creation in our country.

"The projects will take a year or two and the duration will be long so I can confidently say that employment will be created in those two projects in Zimbabwe," he said.

The new parliament to be built in Mount Hampden in Harare has a holding capacity of 650 MPs.

The Wednesday business deal was the country's first investment deal under the leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
- newzimbabwe

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