The Chronicle

by Sikhumbuzo Moyo

16 January 2013

THE exploits of 10-year-old rising swimming star Nomvula Mjimba has attracted the attention of Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart who has taken it upon himself to spearhead the athlete’s sponsorship appeal.

Mjimba, who is based in Harare and swims for Otters Swimming Club, has been dominating national swimming championships.

She has been bettering times, including those swam by legend Kirsty Coventry.

On his post in one of the social network sites, Coltart said it was sad that his ministry had serious budgetary constraints and does not have funding for such projects.

“Friends, my attention has been drawn to a new swimming sensation, 10-year-old Nomvula Mjimba. From this you will see that she has beaten one of Coventry’s times.

“Her family desperately needs sponsorship so if there are any folks out there who would be interested in helping please e-mail me and I will put you in touch with her.

“Sadly my ministry is so short of funding that we do not have any budget line for this,” wrote Coltart who did disclose how much the athlete requires.

She bettered Coventry’s 32.98 seconds in the 50m freestyle, stopping the clock at 32.95 seconds.

She is expected to do well in the national junior and senior championships, Level One and Two events in South Africa.

The Herald

By Tonderai Rutsito 

16 January 2013

There were so many developments, which transpired in the technology sector last year that had the potential to impact and reshape Zimbabwe. I will attempt to address these issues in the following nine categories.

Newsmakers

The year started off on a good note after Finance Minister Tendai Biti announced the removal of duty on ICT-related imports in his 2012 Budget statement.

The announcement was well received by dealers in ICT products some of whom rushed to cash in on the new policy only to clash with Zimra official at the country’s ports of entry over the classification of ICT products which should or should not be exempted.

Needless to say that impasse was temporary and was resolved early into the year. Zimbabwe online arguably stole the limelight as it was constantly in the news.  Its acquisition by Liquid, an Econet subsidiary, for an unspecified figure was one of the major highlights early in the year.

It also sponsored Jumpstart, a community-driven initiative that brought together ICT enthusiasts, specialists in web applications, web development and mobile software programmers to share ideas on how best to drive the industry forward.

One of the Jumpstart co-ordinators, Mr Limbikani Soul Kabweza — who is also founder of Zimbabwe’s most popular technology blog TechZim — was also selected together to travel to the United States as part of the United States President’s Young African Leaders Initiative sponsored by the US Department of State. He travelled with Simbarashe Mhungu.

The International Communication Technology Association of Zimbabwe in conjunction with the UK-based organisation Computer Aid International identified beneficiaries and provided expertise and back-up service in Zimbabwe

Awards

Econet and biNu lifted the Zimbabwean flag higher by featuring among the nominees at the AfricaCom 2012 Awards, arguably the biggest technological awards in Africa. However, only biNu managed to walk away with an award for the best application beating giants like

Mxit 

The Ministry of ICT also held its rather ceremonial awards where it sought to appreciate and reward the most outstanding players in the industry. The ministry must be commended for putting together such an event with very limited resources although it left a lot to be desired.

ICT Minister Nelson Chamisa has always been upbeat and passionate about technology and its development but a number of shortcomings will need to be addressed to make future events a success.

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe also scooped three awards in the Marketers’ Association of Zimbabwe Super Brands 2012.

These were for the Best Telecoms Company of the Year, Best Internet Service Provider and the overall Super Brand Award of the Year 2012 Pastel Zimbabwe also scooped the software/hardware award.

International Interests

Software giant Microsoft listed Zimbabwe among 21 African countries where it’s planning to set up web stores.

Prior to the announcement Microsoft representatives for East and Southern Africa visited the country in March and launched a developer’s day initiative in Harare that was attended by more than 100 software coders.

IBM, an international award winner and hardware-solution centre company, also expressed interest in returning to Zimbabwe.

Samsung also hogged the limelight when it launched its newest product, the Samsung Glaxy S3, at their Joina City shop.

Symposiums

The year opened with an ICT Summit at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge in January.The summit brought together 14 education and  ICT ministers from Southern African countries and major ICT companies such as HP, Samsung, Xerox, NEC, Epson, Intel, Sharp and Core (representing Apple).

The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce also convened the ZNCC 2012 ICT seminar that was attended by more than 100 ICT companies.

The aim of the ZNCC ICT Business Innovation Symposium was to create awareness about the role that technology plays in the transformation of business in modern day Zimbabwe. Mooks Marketing held a convention to help enlighten the ICT players on infrastructural developments and how they can be able to grow their investments through synergies thereby enhancing services improvement.

The Bulawayo chapter of the Computer Society of Zimbabwe convened its first ICT Expo on November 24 and 25. The Expo managed to tackle the going green concept. School heads, educationists and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture also met in Harare to discuss the state of ICT in the education sector at an event organised by Blessing Ngorima in partnership with Premier IT.

Mukonitronics organised the Africa Exchange, which was dubbed the ICT Meeting of the Minds, where some school students exhibited energy-saving bulbs that they invented at their schools.

Exhibitions and Expos 

The annual ICT Africa Exhibition, which is in its 10th year, was held at the Harare International Conference Centre.

During the event the Computer Suppliers’ Association of Zimbabwe changed its name to ICT Suppliers.

The event has been bringing together ICT Suppliers, service providers and ICT consumers. Exactly 11 days later the Ministry of ICT held its inaugural five-day expo making it the longest technology expo ever to be held in Zimbabwe.

The event, which ran from October 1 to October 5, was officially opened by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and was aptly dubbed e-Tech Africa expo.

Comztech, a leading software distributor that is also Microsoft’s first channel developer partner, which distributes consumer and business technology products and solutions throughout the African continent, held another prestigious event at Crowne Plaza Monomotapa Hotel.

Talent hunt

Forget Me Not Africa in conjunction with Econet Zimbabwe held an event aimed at exposing talent in computer programming and promote the most creative programme that will be used on the Econet platform.

Programmers were also given an opportunity to showcase their skills in the Hackathon, where local software developers were afforded an opportunity to create a programme used for crowd sourcing as a news application tool.
The event attracted 25 web developers.

ICTs in Education

President Mugabe opened the ICT Centre at the University of Zimbabwe. The UZ also commissioned a digital bar code scanning system hat registers and verifies students’ laptops and electronic gadgets to curb against cases of theft.

Harare Institute of Technology also held an open source day in recognition of the importance and relevance of free and open operating systems like Linux.

The Midlands State University introduced an electronic gate checking system for students, a first for Zimbabwean universities.

Liberty Dandira, the MSU director of information services, was the man behind this innovation. Education Minister Senator David Coltart announced that Government was reviewing the ICT curriculum to align it with international standards. The final document is still work in progress.

Huge targets

Minister Chamisa revealed that his long-term goal would be to have e-learning courses in the country’s 8 000 schools by 2015, he also projected that Zimbabwe will become the hub of ICT in Africa by 2015, backed by serious mobile penetration.

This, he said would be achieved through the upgrading of infrastructural, hardware and software. Zimbabwe has seen significant ICT penetration with ITU ranking it the fastest ICT developing country in the world

Disappointments

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe hogged the limelight in January when it broke news that it was to launch VoIP.

Of course, many were sceptical that Econet would run such a product when it is the biggest threat to their viability as a mobile phone operator. Suffice to say that not much has been heard of the project since then.

Africom has been pushing VoIP well for years yet it has kept this service active yet locked to its own network, choking the significance of real VoIP connectivity as it does not interconnect with all networks. Brodacom made headlines as it hit the market with its VoIP packages, which were marketed under the banner of “game changers” in a development that aroused a lot of interest.

Sadly, the hype was shortlived as news after it emerged that the company was facing serious viability constraints that forced it to close shop and some of its assets were attached.

The Herald

16 January 2013

EDUCATION, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, David Coltart, has opened a window to embrace more views to address concerns raised by stakeholders in the wake of a new directive guiding the appointing of national team selectors.

Coltart said yesterday the directive wasn’t cast in stone, raising the possibility for some panel-beating exercise, before it can be effected as policy to guide the appointment of national team selectors.

The Sports Commission had directed that, from February 1 this year, all national team selectors, in sporting disciplines that have a panel of such officials, need to have represented Zimbabwe for them to qualify for such technical portfolios.

But the directive raise a fierce storm, especially in cricket, with Zimbabwe Cricket convenor of selectors, Givemore Makoni, who didn’t play for the national team during his time, suggesting that it was meant to push him out of office.

Makoni also claimed the directive had racial connotations and did not address the key issue that he was part of a generation of players whose path into the national team was blocked by a shadowy quota system that only allowed, at most, just two black players to represent Zimbabwe.

Iconic Zimbabwean athlete, Kirsty Coventry, said while she was fully behind Coltart, she felt there was need to open the selection to other players who might necessarily not have played the game at the highest level by representing their country.

Yesterday, Coltart paid tribute to this newspaper, for what he termed a balanced coverage of the controversy in yesterday’s edition, and said he would open a window to embrace more views.
“Thank you to the Herald for your fair and balanced reporting of the National Selectors issue this morning,” Coltart wrote on his Facebook page.

“I was concerned over the weekend that there would not be balance on such an emotive issue but you have done Zimbabwe proud.
“It is important that we all now move forward on this issue.

“In the interests of sport I hope that all further comment on this issue, if any, will be done by Rtd Col Charles Nhemachena and the SRC in conjunction with National Sports Associations.
“I reiterate that these directives are not written in stone and we will listen carefully to the views of all Associations to improve them.

“In particular, I have considered and am in support of Kirsty Coventry ‘s suggestion that a minority of selector posts be kept open for coaches or other people with technical expertise who may not have played for Zimbabwe, so long as the majority and Chair/Convenor are ex national sportspersons.”

Questions had, inevitably, been asked about how a person like Steve Mangongo, who is set to replace his boss, Alan Butcher, as Zimbabwe cricket team coach in April, could be deemed good enough to take full charge of the senior team but not qualified enough to be a selector.

Englishman Butcher is not seeking an extension of his contract, when it ends, saying he now needs time to be with his wife and family back home.

Mangongo has been Butcher’s lieutenant, the assistant coach, in a coaching set-up that also has a bowling coach, Heath Streak, and a batting coach, Grant Flower.

Mangongo’s seniority would certainly brighten his chances of landing the big job. But there was a problem.

The new directive issued by the Sports Commission, for national team selectors to have played for Zimbabwe, meant that while Mangongo was qualified to be the next national coach, he wasn’t qualified to be a selector.

In Zimbabwe Cricket, the national coach becomes one of the selectors, and the current three-man panel features Givemore Makoni (convenor), Wayne James and national coach Butcher.
James made four Test and 11 ODI appearances for Zimbabwe in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s as a batsman and also kept wicket for the national tea.

While Butcher will qualify to retain his place on the selectors’ panel, because he played one Test for England, Mangongo wouldn’t, in the event that he replaced the Englishman as coach. If there is a case that exposed the weaknesses of the Sports Commission’s directive, then it has to be Mangongo’s case.

Daily News

By Dean du Plessis

16 January 2013

 After spending four quality nights in the peaceful and tranquil surroundings of Lake Kariba, I was brought back to reality with a bone-jarring thud when I heard about the row between Senator David Coltart and chairperson of selectors Givemore Makoni.

This very unpleasant turn of events has the potential of becoming very ugly and opening old wounds that could lead to a total disruption in a sport which is already buckling under financial constraints and the lack of international fixtures.

When writing an article, I always try my very best to remain neutral and simply call it as I see it, if you’ll pardon the pun.

So instead of choosing sides, I would like to tell the reader my story and the challenges I have experienced as somebody trying to make it in the world of commentating as someone who never played cricket at any level whatsoever.

My career as a cricket commentator/analyst had always been a bit of a roller-coaster ride with a few ups and many downs which is why I eventually decided to call it a day.

The most obvious question I was always asked, and still get asked is how I am able to commentate on a match without been able to see? In fact, a very well-known journalist once called me a fake and con artist, saying the reason why I wore dark glasses was because I could see and tried to trick the public.

For the sake of causing this very well-known public figure total embarrassment and humiliation, he will remain nameless though it wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to work out who I am talking about.

These allegations were made in the infancy of my career, and very nearly caused me to quietly walk away from something I always wanted to do.

But, it did leave me asking myself the question that thousands of people no doubt asked themselves on a daily basis. That question was, what right did I have to step into a commentary box and voice my opinions when I never played the game?

I personally feel that this debate is a double-edged sword, with both parties making valid points. Though it is sad to note that the word “racist” was used yet again.

I personally faced many challenges as a commentator, and understandably so.

Think about it, who in their right mind would trust a person that has been blind from birth to describe the action on a cricket pitch to millions of viewers around the world, with the real possibility of making a monumental mistake?

And yet, there were those who believed in me and my ability and who gave me the opportunity to put my skills to the test.

These opportunities, however, were few and far between, and I was quick to discover that broadcasters were using me as a marketing tool and not because they felt I could contribute.

But I stuck to my guns in the belief that eventually the big brake would come my way and that I would finally become a full-time presenter without been asked how I commentate, or what right I had to commentate.

I would like to believe that even though I have never bowled a ball, scored a run or taken a catch at any level, I am quite capable of holding my own in a cricket conversation with any cricketer, past or present.

This is a statement that could be perceived as being arrogant, but I have the facts and ammunition to back myself if it comes to that.

Even though I feel that I may have been hard done by, I would achieve absolutely nothing by shouting my mouth off and accusing people of discriminating against me because I’m blind.

And yet, I probably had every right to do so. The perfect example would have been when Zimbabwe went on tour.

I was fortunate enough to have gone to Bangladesh with the national team back in 2009, and I will be grateful to Zimbabwe Cricket for the rest of my life for affording me such an experience.

But, that was the first and last time I was to tour with the team.

When I got back from Bangladesh, I was repeatedly told what a wonderful job I did and that the entire nation was proud of me.

And yet, when the team went on tour again, I was not included.

A number of reasons were given, one was that I was disrupting the routine of the players because they felt obliged to check up on me and make sure I was alright.

Another reason was that we needed to give the rest of the media team the opportunity to go on tour with the team. This was a fair call and I had absolutely no problem with the decision.

However, it soon became apparent that the reports and previews were inaccurate and that mistakes were made on a regular basis.

If I wanted to, I could have shouted my mouth off and accused many people of discriminating against me because of my disability. Because in my heart of hearts, I knew that I was best-equipped to deliver reliable and up-to-date reports and previews.

I could even have used the word I personally hate!!!! That word been “racist”. But I chose not to go that route.

Now we, the cricket fraternity once again find ourselves facing looming danger and disaster and it needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.

The compilation of a team of selectors is a very tricky one. Yes, the most important criteria is for each and every selector to have a vast expanse of knowledge of the sport.

But is it fair to say that people should only be a selector or commentator if they have played the game?

There are many commentators around the world who are employed by television networks simply because of their achievements on the field, but in truth, are hopelessly inadequate in the commentary box.

I believe that although we should never forget the contributions of our former players, it doesn’t always mean they automatically become good commentators or selectors.

I once had a chat with a former player-turned selector and I was shocked to discover that he was unable to identify most of the players playing for Zimbabwe A.

This was a man who we as cricket lovers placed our trust in to ensure that the correct team would be picked, and yet, he was found wanting.

And so to conclude, I would like to say that even though I was never allowed to show the world my full potential, I certainly will never lower my standards by accusing people of being racial, but at the same time, I would also never be blinded by the fact that administrators should be selected purely on the fact that they played cricket.

If that was the case, the name Dean du Plessis would never have inspired people with disabilities to believe in themselves and pursue their dreams. 

Daily News

By Enock Muchinjo

15 January 2013

Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) technical advisor Godwin Murambiwa says the union and the rugby community “generally” back Sports minister David Coltart’s selection panel directive, which requires selectors to have played at the highest level of competition in the particular discipline.

Murambiwa, a former national side coach widely regarded as one of the country’s best rugby brains, said the proposed benchmark will safeguard standards if implemented.

Although largely passive, rugby is one of major sporting disciplines in the country where national teams are chosen by a selection panel.

“I agree, all sports must be transparent. I think what he (Coltart) is saying makes sense going forward. It’s about governance and transparency,” said Murambiwa.

“Look, the selectors at least need to have that experience.

“Whether we are saying Sables, Under-21. They are all national teams. That criterion does work.

“You can’t have anyone as a selector. In rugby, we do have a talent identification programme where people get trained by the IRB on talent identification. These people are an exception.

“As rugby, we generally agree with the minister. This is actually the position of ZRU.”

As opposed to South Africa, rugby in Zimbabwe opened up to the black populace much earlier than cricket, and Murambiwa believes former minority sports in Zimbabwe have produced a good number of yesterday players of colour to assume key positions on merit.

Murambiwa said while Zimbabwean rugby pride itself in racial diversity, the fact that blacks generally dominate the sport has reduced racial rows in the sport.

“We are different with cricket so I cannot speak for them,” said Murambiwa, who played his rugby at Marondera High and Prince Edward before injury cut short his playing career.

“Rugby, technicality speaking, is mostly run  by black people.”

“The top clubs, Old Hararians and Harare Sports Club, are run by blacks. Even the first teams of the Group ‘A’ schools mostly have black players with the exception of a few.

“If we keep going to skin colour every time things go wrong, then it’s a step in the wrong direction. Resorting to the race card all the time is very detrimental.

“Us blacks dominate rugby in this country, (but) we have a president (John Falkenburg) who is white and a Sables coach (Brendan Dawson) who is also white. Doug Trivella is also the Under-17 coach. We want that diversity. For Zim it looks good.”

Nehanda Radio

By Pindai Dube

15 January 2013

BULAWAYO – High Court Judge Justice Misheck Cheda on Friday reserved judgment in a case in which Education minister David Coltart and another Bulawayo school have been dragged to court by a Rastafarian family after their girl-child was expelled for spotting dreadlocks at school.

Anele Makhiwa, 13, had been admitted at the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA)-run Bulawayo Adventist Secondary School (Bass) for a Form One place but she was expelled from school on the opening day last Tuesday after authorities demanded she shaves off the dreadlocks.

On Friday, Makhiwa’s parents, through Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyer Jonathan Tsvangirai, filed an urgent chamber application seeking an order directing the school to accept Anele at the school.

Coltart, Bass and the school headmaster, given as N. Marandure, were cited as first, second and third respondents respectively. “The judge reserved judgment in this matter and he will probably be making a ruling this week maybe on Thursday,” Tsvangirai told the Daily News.

In the court application, Anele’s father said the respondents were trying to force the girl to denounce her religion and to cut her dreadlocks, which is against her religion, as a Rastafarian.

In January last year school authorities at another Bulawayo school Masiyephambili Junior barred Mbalenhle Dube, another four-year-old Rastafarian boy from attending Grade Zero lessons because of his dreadlocks.

Mbalenhle was finally admitted at the school after High Court Judge Justice Martin Makonese granted an order allowing him to commence lessons at the school. In his ruling, Justice Makonese said the school headmaster’s directive to have Mbalenhle’s hair cut was “null and void and of no legal consequence”.

Anele is now the third child in Zimbabwe to be barred from school for wearing dreadlocks. In 2007, the Supreme Court passed a landmark ruling barring school authorities from expelling deadlocked students from learning institutions on grounds of their hairstyles.

This was after ZLHR lawyer, Zvikomborero Chadambuka petitioned the Constitutional Court representing a six-year-old Glen Norah boy, Farai Benjamin Dzvova, who hailed from a Rastafarian family and was barred from Ruvheneko Primary School in 2006 on account of his hairstyle.

The Herald

15 January 2013

The Sport and Recreation Commission’s directive, that national team selectors need to have represented Zimbabwe in their particular sporting discipline to qualify for such selection portfolios from next month, has triggered a wave of controversy.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, David Coltart — who directed the Sports Commission to issue the directive — has been sucked into an ugly row which has some racial connotations, with Zimbabwe Cricket convenor of selectors, Givemore Makoni, sharply criticising the Minister.

Coltart says the new directives are not aimed at cricket only and were issued to safeguard national interests with prospects high that a selection panel, which has former internationals who have represented the country at the highest level, will deliver a better job than one without such expertise.

That Coltart has a passion to see Zimbabwean sport taking a huge leap forward isn’t in doubt and he has demonstrated that very well by taking a leading role to try and address the challenges that our various sporting disciplines are facing and how they can be turned around.

He has been very supportive of Zimbabwean athletes and took a front seat position, in trying to cheer our athletes to the medals’ podium, during the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

We have no reason to believe that the Minister is in any way working against the interests of our sporting structures and we remain convinced that he wants to see a big move forward, towards a successful era, to complement the raw talent that we have in abundance.

Where we see a problem, especially in his latest directive, is that it’s a national policy that is being fast-tracked, sadly, without giving due consideration to input from the very sporting disciplines that will be affected by these changes.

There is a clear disregard for consultation, on the part of the Minister and the Sports Commission, who have suddenly usurped the roles of superhuman authorities who know it all and can impose anything on anyone as long as they believe that it’s the right thing to do.

That is not the right way to come up with long-term national policies on sport and you don’t issue a directive in January, and expect everyone to be compliant by February 1, especially when you consider the sensitivity of some of the issues that will arise in the process.

The Minister should have consulted widely, before issuing his directive, and that would have helped him see both the strengths and weaknesses of the plan and, after he had taken everything into consideration, would he then have given the associations his recommendations.

The associations would then respond, highlighting their concerns, if there are any, and proposing the best way things can be moved forward.

But all that was not done and what we now have is a half-baked and controversial directive which, while good on face value, falls far short in addressing historical challenges, as those found in cricket, where some black players were shut out of the national team in the ‘80s and ‘90s because of the colour of their skin.

Makoni might have gone hysterical but he has a valid point in that it’s unfair for someone like him, whose path into the national team was blocked by an evil quota system that only allowed two blacks to play for Zimbabwe at a time, to be haunted by his lack of opportunities playing for that team.

For Coltart to say that Dave Mutendera and Tatenda Taibu can come in shows how narrow that catchment area is, when it comes to cricket, and doesn’t address the fundamental issue that Makoni raises which should not be ignored as if it didn’t happen.

Because of the history of our cricket, where it has come from, the challenges it has faced and how it has moved on to become a national sport today, from a very small elite sport 20 years ago, there is need to handle that discipline with care and consider the past before coming up with policy for the future.

People like Makoni will always feel racially threatened because they went through it and suffered a lot and having been kept out of the national team, on the basis of their colour, they have a right to ask questions when that is now used to keep them out of key structures like the panel of selectors.

These are tough and sensitive questions that Coltart was supposed to consider and address before making it mandatory that all national sporting associations, which have a panel of selectors, have to comply with his directive from February 1.

Even our colleagues in South Africa are regularly confronted with the race issue, in cricket and rugby, and recently, Makhaya Ntini, the most celebrated of all South African cricketers, questioned if the system there was friendly to the development of black Proteas.

The biggest puzzle we find in the new regulations is that a person like Steve Mangongo, tipped to be the next national cricket coach, would be qualified enough to hold that position but not good enough to select the team because he never played for Zimbabwe.
Something just doesn’t sound right here.

Even Kirsty Coventry, Zimbabwe’s iconic athlete, said while she was in support of the directive, there was need to consider other issues.

“I support the directive to ensure all national selectors have previously represented Zimbabwe in their sport. This is logical,” she said.

“If I were up for selection, I would want my selectors to have, at the very least, participated in that sport on a national level. I would trust them to know what they are doing, why they are doing it and what to look for in the athletes.

“I believe a balanced approach would be better because I know you can be an expert in analysis etc without having participated (at national level). If required, then the majority of selectors, as a minimum, should have participated at a national level. As much diversity as we need, we also need balance.”

That’s the point Minister and we are happy that you have conceded, in remarks we carry elsewhere in this newspaper, that you have seen the bigger picture.

The Herald

15 January 2013

KIRSTY Coventry, Zimbabwe’s most successful athlete, has backed Sports Minister David Coltart’s directive that selectors for the national cricket team should have played for their country.

Coltart has been accused of leading a racist plot to shut out blacks from cricket, which he strongly denies.

And now Coventry, the two-time Olympic swimming champion, has launched a defence of Coltart’s directive, which takes effect from February.

She said on Sunday: “I support the directive to ensure all national selectors have previously represented Zimbabwe in their sport. This is logical.

“If I were up for selection, I would want my selectors to have, at the very least, participated in that sport on a national level. I would trust them to know what they are doing, why they are doing it and what to look for in the athletes.”

But instead of the entire selectors’ panel having ex-national team players, Coventry is suggesting that some individuals with certain expertise could also be included. “I believe a balanced approach would be better because I know you can be an expert in analysis etc without having participated (at national level). If required, then the majority of selectors, as a minimum, should have participated at a national level. As much diversity as we need, we also need balance,” she said.

Coltart has been forced to defend himself after Givemore Makoni, the convenor of selectors for the national cricket team, accused him of racism, claiming his directive would disadvantage individuals like him who were excluded from the national team on racial grounds.

“Coltart promised fellow racists to restore the old order once he got into office and his grand plan is coming to its fruition now, but we will not allow that,” Makoni claimed.

“Coltart was a member of the ‘royal family’ of untouchables who wanted to make sure black players were excluded. We fought that system and now we are giving everyone equal opportunity and they want to reverse the gains of the prevailing peace.”

But the minister, while criticising Makoni’s highly intemperate comments, insists his move is aimed purely at improving standards.

Coltart said: “I have researched the issue of Test cricket selectors in particular and I am intrigued to see that every other Test nation bar one — that is South Africa, Australia, India, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and England — always use former Test players as, at the very least, chairman of selectors.

“Those I have been able to research on in detail —  namely South Africa and Australia — have their entire panels comprised of former Test players. The only exception is New Zealand and look at the chaos in New Zealand cricket at present.

“There must be some logic behind these top cricketing nations’ long standing policies to use the experience of former national players as selectors. Why should Zimbabwe be any different? I suppose only if we want to persist in mediocrity.”

And Coventry said it was important for selectors, coaches and administrators to be of the highest calibre — otherwise failure of national teams would continue to be blamed on players who may not always be properly equipped. “We too often blame the team but fail to see the head that is old and rancid,” she said. “I’m not only referring to selectors but everyone in sport that has a responsibility.

Sport requires constant change, development and motivation in order to ensure high standards are kept, talent is identified and experience and success is gained. Accountability needs to take place and if someone is not doing what he or she is supposed to, get rid of him or her.” In response to Coventry’s views, Coltart yesterday said they were useful and would be taken into account.

“Thank you Kirsty Coventry for your considered views and support. I and the SRC will certainly take into account your view that the panel does not have to include all who have played so long as the majority are ex-players.

“I presume that it would follow that you would recommend that the Chair or Convenor of selectors should be an ex-player so long as there is the balance you speak of? These are very useful comments which we will take into account.

“I support the Zimbabwe Sport and Recreation Committee’s directive to ensure all National Selectors have previously represented Zimbabwe in their sport. This is logical.”

News Day

15 January 2013

Top swimmer Kirsty Coventry has partially backed Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart’s directive that selectors for the national cricket team or any other discipline should have played for their country.

Coltart has been accused by Zimbabwe Cricket convenor of selectors Givemore Makoni of leading a racist plot to shut out blacks from cricket, which he strongly denies.

She said: “I support the directive to ensure all national selectors have previously represented Zimbabwe in their sport. This is logical.

“If I were up for selection, I would want my selectors to have, at the very least, participated in that sport on a national level. I would trust them to know what they are doing, why they are doing it and what to look for in the athletes.

“I believe a balanced approach would be better because I know you can be an expert in analysis etc without having participated (at national level). If required, then the majority of selectors, as a minimum, should have participated at a national level. As much diversity as we need, we also need balance.”

Coltart has been forced to defend himself after Makoni accused him of racism, claiming his directive would disadvantage individuals like him who were excluded from the national team on racial grounds.

“Coltart promised fellow racists to restore the old order once he got into office and his grand plan is coming to its fruition now, but we will not allow that,” Makoni claimed.

“Coltart was a member of the ‘royal family’ of untouchables who wanted to make sure black players were excluded. We fought that system and now we are giving everyone equal opportunity and they want to reverse the gains of the prevailing peace.”

But the minister, while criticising Makoni’s comments, insists his move is aimed purely at improving standards.

Coltart said: “I have researched the issue of Test cricket selectors in particular and I am intrigued to see that every other Test nation bar one — that is SA, Australia, India, West Indies, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and England — always use former Test players as, at the very least, chairman of selectors.

“Those I have been able to research on in detail — namely SA and Australia — have their entire panels comprised of former Test players. The only exception is New Zealand and look at the chaos in New Zealand cricket at present.@

“There must be some logic behind these top cricketing nations’ long-standing policies to use the experience of former national players as selectors. Why should Zimbabwe be any different? I suppose only if we want to persist in mediocrity.”

News Day

By Daniel Nhakaniso

15 January 2013

ZIMBABWE national cricket team coach Alan Butcher has conceded that the ongoing row over the appointment of national selectors has overshadowed the upcoming tour of the West Indies next month.

The Sports and Recreation Commission last week issued a directive on the appointment of national selectors in all sporting disciplines emphasising the need to have former players’ involvement.

But that has led to allegations of racism between Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart and Zimbabwe Cricket convenor of selectors Givemore Makoni.

“Obviously it is the most topical issue in local cricket right now but I sincerely hope that it won’t affect our preparations. We will definitely talk to the players, but I’m not sure it will affect them because their job is just to play the game,” Butcher said.

Butcher chose to focus more on the forthcoming tour and believes the wet weather currently prevailing in the country has deprived local players of some much-needed game time for their franchises ahead of the tour of the Caribbean.

Heavy rains have resulted in the abandonment of a number of domestic matches over the last couple of weeks with latest being the Pro50 and Twenty20 matches in Triangle and Mutare at the weekend which were all washed out.

In an interview with NewsDay Sport yesterday, Butcher, who has been following the domestic matches with keen interest to assess his national team players, said: “We were hoping that the players would be playing first-class cricket to remain in shape ahead of the tour, but obviously the weather has not been kind to us.

“It’s not something that we can control, but hopefully the situation will improve soon as there is still some time before we start camp.”

Butcher, who will step down after the West Indies tour, said full camp ahead of the tour would commence on February 4.This will give the national team’s technical department less than two weeks of intensive training before their departure for the month-long tour which will run from February 20 to March 20.

The soft-spoken Englishman, who turned 58 last week, said he was happy with the composition of the squad announced last week, saying he was hopeful that the omission of Elton Chigumbura would help the player to work on his game.

“There are some established members of the team who haven’t been producing the performances expected from them. Elton (Chigumbura) has been one of those players which is the main reason why he missed out.

“I’ve spoken to the player and I’m hoping it will give him some time to work on his game and come back strongly. It has happened to Vusi Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza before and they have all came back stronger,” he said.