The Independent

By Benjamin Chitate

19 April 2013

This opinion piece is prompted by Pedzisai Ruhanya’s article in the Zimbabwe Independent last week headlined “Tsvangirai-Ncube pact game-changer” in which he urges forces opposed to President Robert Mugabe to form a coalition in the next general elections.

The fact that politicians and analysts continue to wish for a united front against Zanu PF in the coming elections proves that unity of purpose is a noble idea.

However, the unity being called for remains wishful thinking for as long as MDC leader Welshman Ncube is not interested in such an arrangement.

The best way is to leave it to the people to decide, even though analysts and commentators should be allowed to continue wishing and hoping.

My humble opinion though, is that it is Ncube who is the stumbling block to any efforts to unite the two parties. Some years back, before Arthur Mutambara was dethroned, Ncube and the late Gibson Sibanda addressed a rally at which the two took turns to tell the people that the 2008 mistake of supporting Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn leader Simba Makoni’s presidential bid will never be repeated because the people of Matabeleland will have their own candidate standing in the elections.

That seems to have stuck into Ncube’s head, even though he knows any unification talks or negotiations around a united front will suggest MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai as the candidate.

All Ncube wants to prove therefore is that a Ndebele candidate can win enough votes to spoil the chances for Tsvangirai and retain Mugabe in power.

In Ncube’s heart and mind, he doesn’t mind Mugabe ruling for life, and hopes that by the time Mugabe dies, his party will have grown enough to take over.

The argument by the MDC led by Ncube today for refusing to engage in a coalition with anybody is that their 2011 congress resolved that the party will field its own candidate in elections which were then expected to take place in 2011 as if the so-called resolutions were cast in stone.

A closer analysis of the same resolutions will show that Ncube had been singing the same tune well before the congress.

I had a discussion with a few colleagues from the “MDC-Green” — a discussion which was balanced and they did not want to blame anyone, but the ego and selfishness displayed by leaders from both parties. To use one of the colleagues’ words: “Our problem (me and you) is that we are victims of our leaders’ selfishness and egos. Imagine how strong the MDC would be if we were still a single force. It’s so sad. But mark my words, one day we will get there and one day we will be a united force and this country will be better.”

One of them blamed it all on Ncube whom he accused of being rigid. I completely agreed with this opinion from within the rank and file of MDC-Green because Ncube himself had told me several times in e-mails or Facebook exchanges that his party will not move from its congress resolution to field its own presidential candidate.

The last time Ncube shared his position on a possible coalition with me was on  January 3 this year when he said in a Facebook message to me: “This year I have absolutely no intention of participating in any debate to do with coalitions.”

This is evidence of the difficulties in the practicalities of forming a pact which Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, David Coltart and Tendai Biti alluded to in the past — Ncube is just not interested, even though some in his own party are.

On his part, Tsvangirai has publicly said he is willing to engage with other pro-democracy forces which are willing to work together to defeat Mugabe, and the same position has been stated by the MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora and several other officials.

But the Ncube camp’s resistance is based on the fact that the MDC-T changed positions after an initial agreement between the negotiators on the allocation of seats to be contested in the 2008 elections, a position that I find childish.

Childish because that decision to review the allocation of seats was made by the MDC-T national executive and national council, whose mandate was to give the final approval of things that had been agreed in negotiations. So, did the then MDC-Mutambara (MDC-M) expect the MDC-T national executive and council to just rubber stamp the agreement without giving an opinion?

And the 2008 elections proved the MDC-T right because the results proved the fact that the negotiators had been more generous to the smaller of the two MDC parties.

Had the MDC-M accepted the MDC-T position, more of their officials, including Mutambara and Ncube themselves, would have been elected into parliament, and probably some of the 8% votes that Makoni got could have been in the united MDC’s favour.

True, Tsvangirai may have won an outright victory in 2008 if the parties were united, but that was not to be because of ill-informed decisions by the MDC-M, in which Ncube as the secretary-general was a major player.

Now it is up to those in MDC-Green who really believe in a united front against Zanu PF to do what their consciences tell them to. The problem seems to be that some of them fear Ncube for his education.

Ncube’s stance exposes him as an unreasonable and unforgiving man.

As said by one MDC-T official in a recent exchange, if Ncube had facts to prove that the MDC-T was insincere in the 2008 negotiations those are the facts he could have brought to the negotiating table, but he knows very well that the MDC-T’s review of allocation of seats was vindicated by the election results themselves.

So the easiest thing for him to do is to blame MDC-T and Tsvangirai for the 2008 failure to form a pact.

Ncube himself knows very well that Zimbabwe is better off without Mugabe, and that Tsvangirai is the only person at the moment with the greatest chance of beating Mugabe in an election, having done so in 2008, but he cannot stand the idea of helping him (Tsvangirai) to the throne.

The biggest mistake Ncube and those within his party encouraging him not to entertain hopes of a coalition is that they are failing to read the mood of the people calling for a coalition and think these calls are coming from people who think Ncube’s support base is growing.

One of Ncube’s aides wrote: “The panic around the whole country as well as in the diaspora around this quest for reunification tells us there is something that we are doing right and the MDC-T people are afraid that their horse will lose this election again.”

My conclusion is that because of his personal hate for Tsvangirai, Ncube has cleverly played around the ignorance among his fellow colleagues in the party to promote his personal agenda as evidenced by his mobilisation of people to support a congress resolution he wanted and then treating the same resolution as if it is cast in concrete.

Chitate writes from New Zealand.

News Day

By News Day Reporter

18 April 2013

WASHINGTON – Zimbabwean Sports minister David Coltart has condemned the bombing of a sports event in the United States of America and offered profound condolences to the people of Boston, following the twin bombing on Monday at the Boston Marathon.

Report by VOA

The bombing left three people dead and at least 140 injured, including children.An eight year-old boy who was at the event to watch his father race is among those killed in the explosions.

“We condemn unreservedly those responsible for this dastardly act. Every bombing is horrific but the bombing of a sporting event is particularly callous. People participate in and watch sporting events to go beyond and above politics and all the other issues which cause so much division of the world; and so the targeting of a sporting event in this manner is particularly grotesque,” Coltart said in a statement.

The explosions detonated in quick succession near the Boston Marathon finish line transforming “a scene of athletic celebration into bloody chaos,” the Boston Globe reported.

The blast took place after the elite marathoners had completed the race, but scores of others were still running.
23-year-old Ethiopia native Lelisa Desisa Benti was the men’s winner of the 117th Boston Marathon, with 32-year-old Kenyan Rita Jeptoo winning the women’s
division.

No suspects have yet been arrested although United States President Barack Obama, who stopped short of calling the incident a terrorist attack, vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But, make no mistake; we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this, we will find out why they did this,” said Obama. “Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice.”

Ironically the race had started with a minute of silence for the 26 Sandy Hook massacre victims who were gunned down last year at an elementary school by a teenager in Newtown, Connecticut. Some of the victims’ families had also taken part in the marathon.

The Zimbabwean

By Mkhululi Chimoio 

16 April 2013

Sports Minister David Coltart recently praised the astounding talent of United States-based teenage golfer, Sean Crocker. The 16-year-old sensation, son of former Zimbabwe Test cricketer Gary Crocker recently leaped to 34th on the American Junior Golf Associations Polo golf rankings.

“Crocker has a bright future ahead in golf,” said Coltart. “He is about to go to a US university on a sports scholarship and flies the Zimbabwean flag at all tournaments he plays in. I am very proud of his success; he is a golfer already making a huge impact and is indeed destined for greater heights. He is now 9th ranked in his division of Under-16 throughout USA.”

Two years ago, Crocker, then in the boys’ 15-17 age division, finished second at the San Diego Junior, after rounds of 71, 70 and 67, for a gross score of 208. He finished 13th at the Junior All-Star at Robinson Ranch after rounds of 73-75-78 for his 226 and 11th at the American Junior Golf Association Junior All-Star at River Ridge after of 76 and 78.

The Zimbabwean star migrated to the USA with his family in 2002. His father owns a consulting/distributorship company that consults on golf courses, but has continued representing Zimbabwe at international tournaments.

The young star, who has also impressed legendary Zimbabwean golfer and former World Number One, Nick Price, has dominated junior tournaments on the PGA Southern California Junior Tour and already has a hole-in-one up his sleeve, after firing one on hole 3, a par 3, 153-yard hole at Temecula, California.

He also fired a five iron straight from the tee into the hole. Zimbabwean golf fans will get an up-close and personal view of Crocker when he returns home to play at the Golden Pilsner Zimbabwe Open, which tees off at the Royal Harare Golf Club today.

Zim Eye

By Audrey Charowa

16 April 2013

Zimbabwe has condemned the horrific bombing in Boston during the international marathon yesterday.

Boston has a large community of Zimbabweans residing there.

In a statement Zimbabwe’s education and sport minister, Senator David Coltart described the bombings as bastardly.

Below was Senator Coltart’s statement:

“I am very sorry to hear of the Boston Marathon bombing. On behalf of the Zimbabwean Government and all Zimbabwean sportspeople we offer our profound condolences to the people of Boston and the United States of America and especially to all the sportspeople affected by this tragedy. We condemn unreservedly those responsible for this bastardly act. Every bombing is horrific but the bombing of a sporting event is particularly callous. People participate in and watch sporting events to go beyond and above politics and all the other issues which cause so much division of the world; and so the targeting of a sporting event in this manner is particularly grotesque.”

The death toll rose, overnight to three. A Rhode Island state trooper and a former Marine, Roupen Bastajian, 35, was quoted by the New York Times as saying “These runners just finished and they don’t have legs now,””So many of them. There are so many people without legs. It’s all blood. There’s blood everywhere. You got bones, fragments. It’s disgusting. We put tourniquets on. I tied at least five, six legs with tourniquets.” Athletes were also observed lying prone on the ground as the impact tore through the finish line, sending smoke and shrapnel soaring high into the air.

Former head of Boston police, Bill Bratton said “Unfortunately in my country there are no shortage of potential suspects, if you will.The guilty will feel the full weight of justice – Barrack Obama

Addressing the nation President Obama said “We don’t yet have some of the answers. We still don’t know who did this or why…but make no mistake we will get to the bottom of this and we will find who did this and we will find out why they did this… ” He went on to say the guilty “will feel the  full weight of justice”.

Al Qaeda representatives in Pakistan were quick to distance themselves from the bombings.

A Saudi man who was injured very close to one of the devices in the bombing had his Boston home searched by police.  Police investigating took bags of evidence from the Boston Property. Authorities are not stating whether they think he is involved. He could be a key witness or “a person of interest”.

A senior Pentagon official was quoted by CNN as saying that “…there is no immediate indication that the Boston terror attack has any foreign connection.” However, CNN reporter Barbara Starr said that information could change. She also said there is a possiblity that the bombing could have been done by “home-grown terrorists” or a “lone wolf” (domestic terrorist).

The Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI is taking the lead in the investigation.

Forensic Investigators have a lot of forensic evidence to go on. Three undetonated bombs were found in the area. Their job now is to study the devices and come up with a “unique signature” which narrows the identification of the bomber by looking at origins of the ingredients and.

Investigators described the explosive devices as “rudimentary” and lacking in sophistication. The bombs are reported to have no signature markers of those that are made by bomb makers trained in the middle East.

The Tuesday morning after Monday afternoon bombing saw Bostonians going about their normal everyday business. The Boston community has chosen to defy those who sought to cause alarm and despondency by their cowardly and dastardly acts. Aside from a road cordoned off for investigations, its “Business as usual” in Boston.

SW Radio Africa

By Violet Gonda

16 April 2013

Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister David Coltart has condemned the bombing of a sports event in the United States of America and offered profound condolences to the people of Boston, following the twin bombing Monday at the Boston Marathon.

The bombing left three people dead and at least 140 injured, including children.An eight year-old boy who was at the event to watch his father race is among those killed in the explosions.

“We condemn unreservedly those responsible for this dastardly act. Every bombing is horrific but the bombing of a sporting event is particularly callous. People participate in and watch sporting events to go beyond and above politics and all the other issues which cause so much division of the world; and so the targeting of a sporting event in this manner is particularly grotesque,” Coltart said in a statement.

The explosions detonated in quick succession near the Boston Marathon finish line transforming “a scene of athletic celebration into bloody chaos,” the Boston Globe reported.

The blast took place after the elite marathoners had completed the race but scores of others were still running.

23-year-old Ethiopia native Lelisa Desisa Benti was the men’s winner of the 117th Boston Marathon, with 32-year-old Kenyan Rita Jeptoo winning the women’s division.

No suspects have yet been arrested although US President Barack Obama, who stopped short of calling the incident a terrorist attack, vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.

“We still do not know who did this or why. And people shouldn’t jump to conclusions before we have all the facts. But, make no mistake; we will get to the bottom of this. And we will find out who did this, we will find out why they did this,” said Obama. “Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice.”

Ironically the race had started with a minute of silence for the 26 Sandy Hook massacre victims who were gunned down last year at an elementary school by a teenager in Newtown, Connecticut. Some of the victims’ families had also taken part in the marathon.

The Herald

By Panganai Kahuni

15 April 2013

In Africa, the need for sovereign statehood became the point of African entry into international politics through Pan-Africanism and nationalism.

Pan-Africanism and nationalism symbolised the character of what an African leader must be; non compromising and principled for the restoration of African values, culture and ethos such as did Nkrumah, Lumumba, Chitepo, J Z Moyo and Dr Nkomo to mention just but a few.

Zimbabwean freedom fighters, through the leadership of the principled revolutionary icons such as President Mugabe and Dr Nkomo effectively employed the principle of self-determination in fighting the war of liberation that led to our independence in 1980. Taking the revolution tempo of Second Chimurenga a further gear higher from where Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru Kaguvi, Kings Mzilikazi, Lobengula and others had left, the two Zimbabwe revolutionary icons led the war of demolishing the Smith Regime with immeasurable dedication and commitment.

During the Second Chimurenga, the war which brought Zimbabwe’s independence, democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, opposition politics and the electoral process that was non-racial, the youths from both rural and urban areas participated in an immeasurable and patriot manner. The courage to withstand hardships and risking one’s life was extremely overwhelming.

Droves of people bravely crossed rivers and walked through densely populated forests that were heavily infested with human predators such as crocodiles and lions. The commitment and devotion made the fighters to gather strengths as the pour of adrenaline constricted their muscles, courageously making them fearless freedom fighters.

The youths of Second Chimurenga, were a rare breed of courageous human beings. Knowing that the notorious Smith army would devour them worse than the bush lions and the river crocodiles, the youths of the Second Chimurenga tenaciously walked through thick and thin, crossing over to Mozambique and Zambia.

Once they arrived in the two countries they received cutting torches (the guns) that they used to break the chains of barbaric slavery and undemocratic, unruly and inhuman treatment exerted on them by the demonic wanton savages of the Smith Regime. Some of the savages that cared less for democracy, rule of law and democratic governance surprisingly joined the MDC formations as paragons of democracy and the rule of law.

What democracy and rule of law can those unrepentant and yester-year uncivil Rhodesian security services men such as Eric Matinenga, David Coltart, Roy Bennet, Giles Mutsekwa, Ian Kay and Eddie Cross teach Zimbabweans today? People must understand that most of those who operated as Selous Scouts; Rhodesian African Rifles (mapuruveya) BSAP joined the violent MDC formations on retirement.

Fellow citizens did you know that Emmanuel Chimwanda who is said to be doing scandalous ventures in ZACC is an MDC-T former BSAP appointee to ZACC? It seems it is the reason he wilfully leaks official secrets to his MDC-T party.

The liberators of this country are asking some million dollar questions: How can former Rhodesian troops call for reforming of the security sector? Whose agenda are they advancing? Why is the MDC-T flooded with these people who committed genocide at Chimoio in Mozambique and Chifombo in Zambia?

Former Rhodesia African Rifles and former BSAP hands drip blood of Zimbabweans they killed during the Second Chimurenga, a war that brought our Independence. When the Whiteman colonised Zimbabwe, they made it clear that all white generations of all age groups were to subjugate Africans.

One wonders why some political parties had the temerity of accommodating such unrepentant murderers in their structures. It is important as it is instructive that our independence is hardly a century and yet some youths have the audacity of camping in political institutions that dine with dangerous elements of the Rhodesia era.

The 33rd Independence Day anniversary is very important to the youths who must jealously guard our sovereign state. What is critical for the youths is to understand the fact that imperialism is adaptable to global political changes. From the days of slavery, the imperial world developed various political doctrines aimed at resource plundering and regime change.

The youths now know it well through the anarchy and mayhem caused by NGOs and civil societies. In Zimbabwe, various neo-colonial doctrines have been employed by the West in order to effect regime change. From 2009, the West, particularly Britain and America, channelled money through various NGOs under the guise of development. They illegally channelled $2,6 billion through MDC-T run ministries and NGOs.

The questions that arise are: if the money was meant for development why was it Nichodemously channelled through institutions whose transparency and accountability raises eyebrows? Can the so-called friends of Zimbabwe account for this huge amount of money which many Zimbabweans believed was meant for wanton regime change.

http://vimeo.com/63667852

The Herald

13 April 2013

Scores of pupils who sat for Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations last year are yet to receive their results amid allegations of negligence being levelled against some schools.

A-Level results were released at the beginning of the year while O-Level results were released in February 2013 but it has since emerged that some pupils are yet to get their results.

Some candidates are reported to have got result slips that had grades for subjects that they did not sit for.

Government, through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, is now set to launch investigations into the matter after the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council distanced itself from the mix up.

Education Minister Senator David Coltart urged the affected candidates to take their cases to the nearest education offices for assistance.

“This is a matter of urgency. They should utilise those relevant offices in their districts and give the details of their specific problem so that we can investigate and address these matters,” he said.

Zimsec has since distanced it from the exam mix-up with the examination’s body’s director, Mr Essau Nhandara, accusing some school headmasters of negligence. Mr Nhandara said school authorities are afforded enough time to address discrepancies they would have noted when students register to write exams.

“Students register for specific subjects by using a colour code. This happens around March every year. Students then receive an examination entry form sometime in July. It is at this stage that any discrepancies between students’ registrations and what is listed on the entry form can be corrected,” he said.

Meanwhile, the majority of the students who are yet to secure their results are now in limbo as they cannot proceed with their education.

The Zimbabwean

By Edgar Gweshe

9 April 2013

Teachers being hauled before Disciplinary Committees are being denied their right to legal representation, claims the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.

The union’s Information, Education and Research Officer Fannuel Mabhugu said teachers were being victimised as a result. “According to the Public Service Regulations of 2000, it is clear that someone who has been summoned for a disciplinary hearing is free to consult a legal representative.

“One is free to go with a legal representative or trade union official to help you, but the teachers are being denied this right. Sometimes when the legal representative is allowed into the hearing, they are told that only the teacher is allowed to answer to questions from the disciplinary committee,” said Mabhugu.

Most of the personnel on the committees are political appointees with little knowledge regarding the conduct of the disciplinary hearings, he added. In a statement, the PTUZ said: “In a recent case, Wilbert Muringani, a graduate of the PTUZ Paralegal Training Project was barred access into an office where a PTUZ member Sister Catherine Munekani was appearing to answer misconduct charges before a Disciplinary Committee in Gweru, Midlands Province.

“This was despite the fact that the letter notifying her of the convening of the disciplinary hearing advised her of her right to be represented by a registered legal practitioner or a Union official. The hearing was chaired by the Provincial Education Director, Mrs. Agnes Gudo.”

The PTUZ cited another case in which the right of teachers to legal representation was violated.

“Enock Paradzayi, another PTUZ paralegal was told by Danny Moyo, the Provincial Education Director for Bulawayo Province and Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee hearing the misconduct charges preferred against PTUZ
member Kudzai Makumbe and that he could only be present but was not supposed to say anything during the hearing,” reads the statement.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Art and Culture, David Coltart was not available for comment at the time of going to press.

Minister of Education David Coltart said: “I strongly believe in the right of all people to have legal representation and also for the rule of law to apply to all. I will investigate these allegations and will do all in my power to ensure that Teachers’ rights are respected.”

The Sunday Mail

7 April 2013

Scores of pupils who sat for Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations last year are yet to receive their results amid allegations of negligence being levelled against some schools.
‘A’ Level results were released at the beginning of the year while ‘O’ Level results were released in February 2013 but it has since emerged that some pupils are yet to get their results.

Some candidates are reported to have got result slips that had grades for subjects that they did not take an exam for.
Government, through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, is now set to launch investigations into the matter after the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) distanced itself from the mix up. Education Minister Senator David Coltart urged the affected candidates to take their cases to the nearest education offices for assistance.

“As the Education ministry we encourage all those students who are affected to contact their local district education officer, failing that the local provincial education director, failing that the permanent secretary and failing that my office is open to these children and their parents for immediate assistance.

“This is a matter of urgency. They should choose — they should utilise those relevant offices in their districts and give the details of their specific problem so that we can investigate and address these matters,” he said.

Zimsec has since distanced it from the exam mix-up with the examination’s body’s director Mr Essau Nhandara accusing some school headmasters of negligence.
Mr Nhandara said school authorities are afforded enough time to address discrepancies they would have noted when students register to write exams.

“Students register for specific subjects by using a colour code. This happens around March every year. Students then receive an examination entry form sometime in July.
“It is at this stage that any discrepancies between students’ registrations and what is listed on the entry form can be corrected,” he said.

However, Senator Coltart refused to point the finger of blame at anyone.
“Without knowing the details of individual cases it is impossible to ascertain who is to blame for the non-receipt of results,” he said.
Meanwhile, the majority of the students who are yet to secure their results are now in limbo as they cannot proceed with their education.