The
exchange
unfolded
during
question
time
when
Tendeukai
Matara,
a
Proportional
Representation
MP
for
Masvingo,
asked
the
minister
to
outline
government
policy
on
controlling
plastic
waste,
citing
its
economic
and
environmental
impact.
In
her
response,
Environment
Minister,
Dr
Evelyn
Ndlovu,
acknowledged
plastic
littering
had
become
widespread
across
the
country
and
warned
of
its
harmful
effects
on
ecosystems
and
livestock.
“Plastic
littering
is
prevalent
in
the
country
and
the
last
time
I
spoke
here,
I
also
raised
concerns
about
littering
by
all
of
us,”
she
said.
“The
majority
of
our
people
are
littering,
yet
they
are
actually
aware
that
plastic
littering
is
damaging
our
environment.
It
also
damages
our
livestock
because
if
they
eat
that
plastic,
most
of
them
die.”
Dr
Ndlovu
had
brought
a
reusable
flask
into
the
chamber
as
a
prop,
arguing
that
behaviour
change
was
central
to
tackling
the
crisis.
“I
am
carrying
this
flask
to
this
Honourable
House
to
demonstrate
to
all
of
us
that,
if
only
Parliament
could
put
up
a
container
outside,
we
can
only
stop
littering
if
we
do
not
use
these
plastic
bottles
and
we
use
containers,”
she
said.
She
added
Zimbabwe
currently
lacks
sufficient
production
of
thin,
biodegradable
plastics
that
dissolve
easily
and
is
still
reliant
on
hard
plastics.
“Unfortunately,
we
do
not
have
enough
thinner
plastics
that
are
disposable,
that
can
easily
dissolve.
We
still
have
hard
plastics
as
a
country
and
we
are
working
towards
banning
them
to
make
sure
that
littering
is
stopped,”
she
said.
However
it
was
her
call
for
targeted
civic
education
that
sparked
uproar.
“We
must
educate
our
people
on
the
dangers
of
plastics.
We
must,
as
Hon.
Members
of
Parliament,
educate
our
people,
especially
in
Bulawayo,”
Dr
Ndlovu
said.
Bulawayo
is
Zimbabwe’s
second-largest
city,
and
often
features
prominently
in
national
political
discourse,
as
references
to
it
can
carry
symbolic
weight.
Of
late,
Bulawayo
is
bearing
the
costs
of
rampant
littering,
which
has
also
blocked
waterways,
causing
flooding
during
heavy
rains.
However,
the
reference
to
Bulawayo
immediately
drew
a
point
of
order
from
Marondera
Central
MP
Caston
Matewu,
who
argued
the
minister
had
unfairly
singled
out
one
city
when
the
question
related
to
national
policy.
“My
point
of
order
is
the
Hon.
Minister
must
withdraw
where
she
said
Bulawayo
because
when
we
ask
questions,
we
are
asking
Government
policy
and
not
asking
her
to
accuse
one
city
of
littering,”
Matewu
said.
Matewu
insisted
the
minister
should
focus
on
outlining
policy
rather
than
directing
MPs
to
address
residents
of
a
specific
urban
centre.
“She
must
simply
state
what
Government
policy
is
towards
littering
and
not
tell
us
Hon.
Members
to
go
to
Bulawayo
and
tell
residents
to
stop
littering,”
Matewu
said,
before
adding
that
Dr
Ndlovu’s
response
was
“not
in
tandem
with
someone
who
is
at
the
level
of
a
Cabinet
Minister.”
This
prompted
immediate
intervention
from
the
Temporary
Speaker,
who
ruled
Matewu
out
of
order
and
instructed
him
to
withdraw
his
statement.
“You
cannot
say
she
is
not
ministerial
material,”
the
Temporary
Speaker
said.
Matewu
refused
to
withdraw
his
comment
unless
the
minister
retracted
her
reference
to
Bulawayo.
“I
will
only
withdraw
if
she
withdraws
what
she
said
about
Bulawayo,”
he
responded,
to
which
he
was
ordered
to
leave
the
chamber.
Matewu
was
subsequently
escorted
out
by
the
Sergeant-at-Arms.
“I
needed
your
protection.
Thank
you
very
much
for
protecting
me,”
Dr
Ndlovu
said
to
the
Temporary
Speaker
after
order
was
restored,
before
continuing
her
response.
The
minister
reiterated
government
policy
aims
to
phase
out
environmentally
harmful
plastics
and
promote
biodegradable
alternatives.
She
said
the
Environmental
Management
Agency
(EMA)
is
spearheading
public
education
campaigns
and
recycling
initiatives
nationwide.
“We
are
planning
to
phase
out
plastics
and
introduce
lighter
plastics,
which
are
biodegradable,”
she
said.
“We
are
working
on
that
programme
to
bring
new
types
of
equipment
that
will
produce
plastic
that
is
user-friendly
to
our
environment.”
In
response
to
a
supplementary
question
on
how
the
government
intends
to
hold
large
plastic
producers
and
retailers
accountable,
Dr
Ndlovu
said
her
ministry
has
engaged
companies
in
discussions
on
adopting
cleaner
technologies.
“We
have
asked
companies
like
retail
stores
and
plastic
generators
to
come
and
meet
with
us
to
discuss
their
plans
to
phase
out
non-degradable
plastics
and
bring
in
new
equipment,”
she
said.
She
added
bottle
manufacturers
have
shown
cooperation
in
meetings
aimed
at
transitioning
towards
biodegradable
production
methods.
During
her
previous
tenure
as
Resident
Minister
in
Matabeleland
South,
Dr
Ndlovu
said
several
engagements
were
held
to
push
for
technological
upgrades.
Another
MP
sought
clarity
on
how
the
public
education
programme
was
rolled
out
and
whether
it
had
already
commenced.
“The
programme
has
already
been
rolled
out.
We
have
started
teaching
people
on
the
dangers
of
plastics
to
our
wildlife
and
we
have
also
been
engaging
companies
which
are
producing
plastics
so
that
they
change
the
technology
that
they
are
using
and
embrace
bio-degradable
technology,”
said
Dr
Ndlovu.
She
said
plastics
made
from
non-degradable
materials
are
difficult
to
destroy
and
continue
to
pollute
both
urban
and
rural
environments.
As
part
of
the
behavioural
shift
she
advocates,
the
minister
proposed
practical
steps
within
Parliament
itself.
“As
a
Ministry,
we
are
also
teaching
people
to
use
flasks
in
order
to
eliminate
use
of
plastics,”
she
said.
“We
are
going
to
engage
Parliament
to
put
water
canisters
and
people
can
use
their
flasks
to
get
water
and
eliminate
plastics
in
this
House.”
Zimbabwe
is
wrestling
with
mounting
plastic
waste,
from
discarded
beverage
bottles
to
single-use
packaging
clogging
drainage
systems
and
grazing
lands.
Environmental
advocates
have
warned
that
without
stronger
enforcement,
public
education
and
corporate
accountability,
the
country
risks
long-term
ecological
damage.
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