Foreign Policy

Joshua Keating interviews David Coltart

22 May 2012

Yesterday, I had the chance to speak with David Coltart, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Education, Sport, and Culture. A human rights lawyer who campaigned against the regimes of Ian Smith and Robert Mugabe, Coltart was a founding member of the Zimbabwe’s main opposition party – the Movement for a Democratic Change. He was among the MDC politicians, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who entered government in an uneasy coalition with Mugabe’s Zanu-PF following the disputed election of 2008.

We discussed why he opposes economic sanctions, why it would be dangerous for Mugabe to exit the scene too quickly, and an unlikely role model for democratic transition:

Robert Mugabe has called for elections to be held this year. Is the MDC preparing for them? 

The call for elections comes from hardliners within Zanu-PF. It doesn’t enjoy support from moderates within Zanu-PF, SADC [the Southern African Development Community], or South Africa. If Robert Mugabe decides to align himself with the hardliners, there’s going to be a very high political cost to pay in terms of his support in the region.

There’s also a financial cost they haven’t confronted. The country’s on a shoestring budget because we’ve adopted the U.S. dollar — we can’t print our own money. So they’re going to have to find money from somewhere. What the region, all of us in the MDC, and even moderates within Zanu-PF are saying, is that the process of constitutional reform must be completed, the reform of electoral processes must be completed. Once that’s happened, then fresh elections must take place.

If they do go ahead with these elections, they will be on the basis of the old laws. We may not even contest those elections. So one will be left with just another crisis. It won’t resolve the political situation.

Robert Mugabe’s health has been the subject of a lot of speculation lately. Does that factor into your political planning?

The bottom line is that he’s 88. He’s old and he’s clearly tiring. But from what I’ve seen, he’s in remarkably good health. So I don’t think it helps to plan around Robert Mugabe. I think one should make the assumption that he’s going to be part of the short-to-medium term political environment.

One of the ironies is that Mugabe is necessary in the short term. If he went suddenly, the divisions between Zanu-PF would come out in the open and cause a lot of turmoil. I think that there are many within Zanu that recognize that he’s the glue that holds the party together.

Some might say, “great, let Zanu fall apart.” But there’s a danger that it would fall apart in such a way that there would be a lot of strife and the military would use unscrupulous means to stay in power.

It seems to me that certainly within the cabinet there’s a fairly strong moderate wing forming under Vice President [Joice] Mujuru. Whilst I don’t agree with many of the policies, on some of the basic issues they clearly are committed to seeing this reform process through and are even prepared to contemplate the loss of power.

It’s been over three years since you entered into this unusual power-sharing government. Do you think it’s possible to say now whether it’s been a success? 

One needs to go back to where we were in 2008. Zimbabwe was lurching towards becoming a failed state. There was hyperinflation, people flooding out the country, thousands losing their lives to cholera, the prospect of virtually a lost generation. In that context, despite all the problems, we’ve achieved a great deal. We’ve stopped the cholera epidemic, we’ve reopened hospitals and clinics, we’re dealing with sewerage issues in cities, we’re getting clean water to people in cities.

Take education. When I took over I had 8,000 schools closed and 90,000 teachers on strike. Education was facing total collapse. We’ve got every single school open we’ve progressively increased the salary of teachers, we’ve got the textbook-to-pupil ratio down to one-to-one.

The same with the economy. We had hyperinflation in 2008. This year’s it’s down to four percent. Bank deposits are growing. Don’t get me wrong. The economy is still in extreme crisis. I liken the country to a jumbo jet that was in free-fall and we’ve leveled it out about 200 meters above the ground. We could stall again but we are gradually gaining altitude.

What are you looking for from the international community?

First, sanctions should go. They’ve outlived their purpose. They were always symbolic in many respects and their primary purpose was to stigmatize those responsible for human rights abuses. That stigma will not be removed with the removal of sanctions. Ironically, sanctions are being used by hardliners as an excuse for ongoing economic woes. Of course, it’s a lie. But for a country that’ starved of information, it’s a lie that people sometimes believe.

The second thing is that the international community needs to support the social ministries within the country and civic organizations — not political parties — that are working to get a new constitution and get better electoral laws. Take education. The United States in the last three years has put in a million U.S. dollars. In relation to other countries, that’s minimal. Germany has put in $18 million. Finland has put in over 10 million euro. The contribution of the Germans and the Finns has had a profound impact. Not just an educational impact but a kind of peace dividend that shows people something can be gained through a fragile but slow process of democratization.

If there’s improved health, and sanitation, and education, Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF are not going to get credit for that.

What are your main priorities right now on education?

Our primary goal this year is to make conditions for learning safe. We’re looking at the provision of water and sorting out sanitary conditions for children. We’ve had two decades of neglect. So the physical buildings are collapsing. We need to get toilets working, provide clean water, and repair roofs and windows. Nothing grand, just stabilization.

We’ve just pushed through a medium-term plan that has been approved by cabinet. A key component is keeping teachers on board. We lost 20,000 teachers in 2007 and 2008. We’ve attracted a lot of them back but we need to do a lot more.

How would you assess America’s role in Zimbabwe’s democratization?

I think it’s important to emphasize consistency in foreign policy. America’s attitude toward apartheid was to support the process [of reform.] People have very short memories. We forget about Magnus Malan and the military leaders in South Africa, but the process succeeded because the international community embraced it. We haven’t seen this process [in Zimbabwe] being embraced by the United States in the same way.

Even currently, there’s an inconsistency. We see the U.S and Great Britain opening up with Myanmar. The military is still in effective control there — more overtly in Burma than in Zimbabwe. At least in Zimbabwe we have the fig leaf of a civilian government. In Burma you don’t even have that. Despite that, there’s encouragement for the process. I don’t see that happening in Zimbabwe. All we ask for is consistency.

Do you think that the kind reform from within we’ve seen in Myanmar over the past two years could be a possible future trajectory for Zimbabwe? 

The great fear about Zimbabwe is that we could revert to what Burma was prior to this period of relative enlightenment – that the military will exercise their power directly. Having said that, I think we’re far further down the road than Burma in terms of a new constitution. Morgan Tsvangirai has had a lot more effective power than Aung San Suu Kyi. We’ve got actual control of whole ministries. So I think if the international community supported that process more proactively, one could argue we have an even greater chance of getting to effective democracy.

• Just arrived in Washington at the start of a tour to raise support for Zim's education sector – meeting World Bank, Unicef, GPE and others #
• Revival for Zimbabwe's education sector [501811230] | http://t.co/vE7xn6db http://t.co/cVBbeuzc via @theafricareport #
• Ended a few days in Georgia speaking to schools, civic and church groups re education in Zimbabwe and now travelling to Alabama tomorrow #
• Looking forward to visiting 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, scene of horrendous bombing on 15 th September 1963 #
• Methinks my son Doug, an ardent #Chelsea supporter, will be rather pleased this evening after they won the #championsleaguefinal – Congrats #

The Sunday Mail

19 May 2012 

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Senator David Coltart has ordered the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) board to submit a detailed report on its workers’ earnings as part  of efforts towards resolving an impasse over allowances.

Senator Coltart last week told Zimsec to also explain why the workers have not been receiving allowances for the past 18 months.
Workers at the examination board recently approached the Labour Court seeking a 56 percent salary increment and an additional housing allowance of US$210.

Their employer had only offered a 10 percent adjustment. The two parties later agreed to use housing, personal and vehicle loans as well as encashment of leave days as remuneration.

However, a dispute arose after the workers accused management of dragging its feet. They then complained to Senator Coltart through the National Education Union of Zimbabwe (NEUZ). They accused the board of violating labour laws.

Sen Coltart last week said he tasked Zimsec to furnish him with a comprehensive report. “I refer to your letter dated 3rd May 2012 and am disappointed to note that this matter has not been resolved.

“I have addressed this letter to the chairman of the Zimsec board and have asked for a report,” reads part of the minister’s response to the workers.

Sources at Zimsec said the workers’ morale plummeted after members of senior management allegedly awarded themselves loans amounting to US$50 000. NEUZ secretary-general Mr Headman Mangwadu described the impasse between Zimsec and its employees as “very worrying”.

“We have met the minister and he has assured us that he will solve the matter. It, however, seems there are certain elements in the Zimsec board that are bent on making sure workers do not receive the outstanding allowances,” he said.

Dear friends and colleagues,

Please join me for a Cato luncheon with Sen. David Coltart. Mr. Coltart has been a human rights lawyer in Zimbabwe since 1983. He was first elected to Parliament in 2000 and re-elected in 2005. In 2008, he was elected as a Senator. Mr. Coltart was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture in February 2009. He is a member of the Movement for Democratic Change, and a long-time opponent of Robert Mugabe and the ruling ZANU-PF. Mr. Coltart will update us on the political and economic developments in Zimbabwe since the power-sharing agreement between the MDC and ZANU-PF came into force in early 2009, and prospects for peaceful elections in the near future. The luncheon will take place on Wednesday May 23, 2012 at noon at the Cato Institute. Please send affirmative replies to mandersen@cato.org.

With thanks and best wishes,

Marian

PS: More about Mr. Coltart here: http://davidcoltart.com/

Marian L. Tupy, Ph.D.

Policy Analyst

Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity

Cato Institute

Phone: 202-789-5250

Fax: 202-842-3490

• Good to be home after leave – now down to hard work this week to get 5 year plan through Cabinet and prepare for US edu fund raising trip #
• It is critically important that we pass new regulations which will deal with lawlessness in the #Zimbabwean education sector. #
• Hearing the European "austerity debate" makes me think Zimbabweans have a lot to teach. They have suffered austerity with dignity and grace. #
• I am delighted to report that our new 5 year medium term education plan was endorsed by Cabinet today. Pleased that it got unanimous support #
• In the interests of transparency I will shortly post the Education Medium Term Plan on my website so that Zimbabweans can read what it says. #
• Zimbabwe's new Education Medium Term Plan approved by Cabinet has now been posted to my web site. Have a look at it at http://t.co/uNE1z14Y #
• Textbooks from UK spark fury in Zimbabwe – International – http://t.co/bR4452Dh: http://t.co/sXivErQm #
• Cheetahs Zim's 7s lost to Fiji and Wales today but by respectable margins – they are clearly improving and will soon start beating top teams #

Scotsman.com

12 May 2012

A row has broken out in Zimbabwe over the foreword inside millions of school textbooks donated with aid from the UK – with supporters of president Robert Mugabe saying children are being urged to “show gratitude to those who hate us”.

Members of president Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party have accused education minister David Coltart of advancing a “regime change” agenda – because he acknowledged the books were a gift from Britain and other Western countries.

More than 22 million textbooks are being provided to hundreds of impoverished primary and secondary schools across Zimbabwe.

Previously up to 20 children shared a single dog-eared copy. Britain contributed £5.6 million towards the textbook programme, which is being run by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef).

Mr Coltart, a member of the smaller faction of the former opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, has had a foreword inserted into the front of each book.

Some members of ZANU-PF are furious because in it the minister acknowledges that the books come from Zimbabwe’s “generous” friends in the international community, including Britain, Australia and the US.

But Mr Mugabe, 88, tells Zimbabweans that Britain and the West have imposed sanctions on the country – even though in reality only the president, 112 of his cronies and 11 companies linked to them are still under EU travel bans and asset freezes. The Patriot, ZANU-PF’s newspaper, says Mr Coltart should have actually told pupils that the books “come from people who wish their parents ill”.

Pro-Mugabe writer Mashingaidze Gomo said: “Our children are being instructed to show gratitude to those who hate us, those whose illegal unilateral sanctions are making it impossible for us to meet their educational needs.”

Mr Coltart told The Scotsman the claim was “patently ridiculous”. He added: “When I wrote this I showed it to my permanent secretary [a member of ZANU-PF], I even discussed it with a former minister of education.

“There was a process of consultation before this foreword was written. I think it is a partisan comment coming from a relatively small number of people.”

The minister said the textbook programme had been recognised by Unicef as “one of its best programmes worldwide”.

“In some rural schools none of the children had textbooks,” he said.

Britain will hand over £80m in aid to Zimbabwe this year, much of it going to repair the education and health sectors, ravaged by years of misrule by the Mugabe regime.

“It is high time the big wigs in government… showed true appreciation of the massive funds being directed into this country, whether it be food aid, educational support or assistance to our health care delivery system,” said pressure group Sokwanele in a statement.

Although the textbooks were supposed to be locked away for safekeeping while not in use, some have been taken and are being sold by pavement vendors in the capital Harare, where they fetch up to £6 per copy.

Union officials say poorly-paid teachers may be to blame.

Meanwhile, ministers from Zimbabwe – one from ZANU-PF and one each from both factions of the MDC – have pleaded with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton for an end to the restrictive measures.

“Our position is that the sanctions should be removed unconditionally,” said justice minister Patrick Chinamasa.

Sahara TV

Interview with David Coltart

12 May 2012

During an exclusive interview with SaharaTV’s Fungai Maboreke, David Coltart, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Education, Sports, Arts & Culture discusses a range of topics from President Robert Mugabe and the ruling Zanu-PF party to the country’s diamond industry to inflation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EB3nEhgAZCcDavid Coltart on SaharaTV

The Herald

By Felex Share and Kelvin Benjamin

7 May 2012

Schools open tomorrow amid calls by the Government for strict regulations to curb unilateral fees hikes.

Most schools applied to the Government for permission to raise fees citing rising operating costs.

The applications were turned down, but some schools increased tuition fees and levies in defiance of the Government directive.

Most such increases range between 20 percent and 30 percent.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart yesterday said the new regulations would effectively deal with school administrators who increase fees without Government approval. He said the new regulations would give parents “more say” in the determination of fees increases.

“I am aware that most schools have done that (increased fees) but it becomes pointless to warn them each and every term without taking action.

“We are working hard, pushing for these new regulations because we believe parents are the ones being milked by greedy school officials and as such they should play a pivotal role in the gazetting of fees at any school.”

Minister Coltart said parents should not pay additional fees without seeing a Government approval letter.

“They (parents) have a right to demand an approval letter from the headmaster because any fees approval is sanctioned by the permanent secretary (Dr Stephen Mahere).

“Anything outside that is illegal and parents should take up the matter with district and provincial officials.

“If they fail to find joy, we have an open door policy and they can visit our national offices,” he said.

Minister Coltart said the Government will reverse unapproved fees increases.

Schools like Marondera High raised fees from US$460 to US$570 per term, while Borrowdale Primary School raised fees from US$200 per term to US$250. Nyamuzuwe High School increased its fees from US$330 to US$390 for boarders.

Other schools are demanding backdated levies and tuition fees.

They are demanding first term and second term differences of between US$60 and US$100 per child.

According to the Education Act, a school raising fees must first convene a meeting with parents, present a budget to them, gain approval and then send the budget, the list of parents at the meeting, and minutes of the meeting, which include the votes, to the Ministry for approval or modification.

Usually if there is a significant majority and the budget makes sense, the ministry approves it.

Meanwhile, most parents and guardians in Harare have applauded shop owners for maintaining stability on prices of school uniforms and learning materials ahead of schools opening.

Previously, shop owners had a tendency of hiking prices for basic school requirements ahead of term openings.

A survey by The Herald last week showed that prices for school uniforms, stationery and groceries had remained stable.

“I am glad that basics for school are affordable and above all they are available,” said Mrs Mavis Matambo from Glen View.

Most parents urged the Government to ensure that transport operators do not increase fares as children go back to school.

The Herald

7 May 2012

Pricing education, through fees and levies, can be very tricky, as parents and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, which must approve any changes, will agree.

Pumping more money into education does produce better education, although the law of diminishing returns does apply. So doubling a fee rarely doubles a school’s effectiveness and after a certain point any fee increase produces a near-zero change.

Any consideration of a fee or levy has to list just what is being paid for out of that fee or levy.

This means that a comprehensive budget is required, preferably with some detail of what the school will look like if the money is not raised.

The second factor that must be considered is affordability. Here there are two sets of criteria, for State schools and for non-Government schools.

Zimbabwe gives every parent the right to send their children to a State school, so fees and levies have to bear a close relationship to income levels of these parents, particularly to those who live within the school’s zone, that is those who live near the school.

But the ministry also used to insist that there was some mechanism whereby the poorest parents in a zone could pay less, after their income was vetted; that may need to be enforced.

Non-Government schools clearly have more latitude here, since they can take pupils from anywhere in Zimbabwe, but the governors or other fee-levying authority needs to at least consider the likely incomes of the target group of parents, otherwise they will not fill their places or will not attract the sort of pupil they desire.

A third set of criteria is not often mentioned, but has now started to move to centre stage. This is the need for the money raised to be properly spent, which goes beyond pure honesty. It must include the need for good management and sensible decisions.

The dual requirement of honesty and management requires a basic audit, to ensure no one has pocketed the money, but also careful and informed comparisons between budgets and actual spending.

The ministry laid down its rules and guidelines right back in the 1980s. Parents were given the power, at both Government schools for the levies and non-Government schools for the fees, to approve these and to question the School Development Association or Governors, and to offer suggestions. But not all parents are education experts or accountants, and at many schools perhaps none are. So the ministry has to give final approval.

Generally speaking, the ministry has gone along with what a substantial majority of parents decide, and that policy has made sense. After all if parents agree then who should tell them otherwise.

But this year the ministry has also started auditing the levy accounts of State schools, placing them in the same position as trust schools which have always had their accounts professionally audited in accordance with their trust deeds. And some schools have flunked the audit.

In other cases it is clear that although parents are paying a respectable levy, the results are disappointing. While the heads and the SDAs are totally honest, management decisions are not best practice, to put it kindly.

In fact, for Minister David Coltart to be pushing for tighter regulation, some schools must be in poor shape. He was a governor of trust schools and even a leader of a group of trust schools and was vocal over the right of parents to make a final decision. Admittedly, a trust school is likely to have some hot-shot accountants and skilled managers among its governors and in the general parent body, plus people who at least have access to top-notch educational expertise. So dishonesty and poor spending decisions are highly unlikely in these cases.

We hope that his proposed changes will try and give the parents at the average State school something far closer to this level of financial, managerial and educational expertise so that they can make informed decisions about levies. This seems to require a more active role for the ministry, the only likely source of such skills for most State schools.

And of course, as we have mentioned, State schools need a tighter definition of affordability than non-Government schools although even here, where there are two State schools very close to each other, one could have a significantly higher levy than the other so long as both sets of parents were receiving value for their money.

It is this question of “value for money” that now needs to be pressed. The system of parents and ministry approving fees at non-Government schools and levies at State schools can work exceptionally well. But parents, especially parents at State schools, now need far more information about “best practices” and need the assurances they are now starting to get with the audits that the money is well spent.

Model budgets, and several might be needed for different groups of parents, would help plus ministerial oversight of conformity to the budget.

If a fraction of the levy is to go on new classrooms then these must be built; if there is provision for painting a school it must be painted; if a lab is being equipped then the ministry must check that the right equipment from the best providers is bought.

And, it always needs to be remembered, there are some parents who want the advantages of higher fees or levies without paying for them themselves.

They tend to be the most vocal in opposition. But they could easily be put in their place if the ministry started looking at something better than a bare majority of parents voting in favour.

As Minister Coltart knows, if a substantial majority approve then it is likely that a fee rise or levy increase is justified and wanted, and the problem of an active minority forming a tail that wags the dog, either for excessive fees or fees that are too low, is avoided.

So perhaps he needs to look at the voting rules as well.

We believe that the present system, at least in concept, is very good. We hope the changes will preserve the gains while ensuring that parents do get the value they require for their hard-earned money.

The Standard

By Bridgette Bugalo and Nqaba Matshazi

6 May 2012

Missing human rights activist Paul Chizuze is feared dead and Bulawayo police have since handed the matter to the Criminal Investigations Department. Chizuze has not been seen for almost three months and the latest development adds a new twist to the mystery of his disappearance.

“The matter of missing activist Chizuze has been transferred to the CID because it was rendered a suspected murder,” police spokesman, Mandlenkosi Moyo said last week.

Despite alarm being raised that he may have been abducted, the family gave contrasting statements and this further deepened the mystery.

When news of the disappearance came to light, family members were reportedly squabbling and blaming each other for the activist’s no-show.  Investigations have revealed that when the activist went missing, close family members actually confided in others that the search for Chizuze might as well be halted as the activist would return when he wanted to.

“The family said this is not the first time he had gone missing and there were indications that he may have had a domestic dispute before he left,” a confidanté said.

A fellow activist seemed to corroborate this story, saying “but he has never been away for this long”.

The activist declined to comment further, saying it was difficult for him, as he had not been authorised by the family to speak on its behalf. Chizuze reportedly disappeared on February 8 and efforts to locate him have so far drawn a blank.

Speculation was that Chizuze may have stumbled on some sensitive information that someone did not want exposed. In a country where authorities are loathe of human rights activists, many fear for the worst for Chizuze.

But according to his sister, who spoke when the activist first went missing,  whatever had made him disappear had nothing to do with his work as an activist.

“His disappearance had nothing to do with his work,” Maxim Phiri said then. “He wasn’t a prominent person.”

The close family friend confirmed that family members were blaming each other for his disappearance. “The family is not united. They are pointing fingers and accusing each other for causing his disappearance. It is difficult to really know what is going on,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from the family on the latest developments proved fruitless.  When our news crew visited the house in Bellevue, Bulawayo, teenage children only peeped through the window and refused to answer any questions.

A lady, claiming to be Chizuze’s wife, later called our offices, saying they did not want any media attention, as this was a private family affair. A church service was also held in Bulawayo six weeks ago, while prayers have also been held at different churches across the city.

Coltart raised alarm

Education minister, David Coltart first raised the red flag on the missing Chizuze. He launched a media campaign to have the missing activist found.  At the time he disappeared, Chizuze was employed by the Solidarity Peace Trust. Over the past three decades, the activist is said to have worked with the Legal Resources Foundation, Amani Trust Matabeleland and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace.

He has also been involved with ZimRights, Churches in Bulawayo, CivNet and Masakheni Trust.