The Zimbabwean

By Chris Ncube

8 February 2012

The football mother-body announced last week that it had indefinitely suspended 80 players and officials fingered in the controversial “Asiagate” scam. The suspended individuals allegedly received money to fix matches during tours of Asia between 2007 and 2009.

“I think that ZIFA is acting correctly,” Coltart told The Zimbabwean.

“That is subject, of course, to the rules of natural justice being followed and the enquiries being held urgently.”

Asiagate has already claimed a big scalp, in former ZIFA Chief Executive Officer, Henrietta Rushwaya, who was arrested last week. She was singled out as the chief architect of the biggest crisis to hit Zimbabwean football.

She sanctioned the trips, during which Zimbabwe suffered heavy losses to low-ranking nations like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Former champions, Monomotapa also toured Malaysia, masquerading as the national team. Meanwhile the Federation of International Football Associations said it was evaluating the issue before making a ruling.

“At the moment we are looking into the matter and can therefore, not comment further. We might be able to say more in a few weeks,” said a FIFA media officer.

The organisation has over the years shown no mercy to culprits involved in match fixing. Players and administrators allegedly involved in Asiagate risk receiving life bans from the sport.

The Zimbabwean

By Fungi Kwaramba

8 February 2012

Private colleges have mushroomed as a result of the deterioration in public education through mismanagement and corruption. But these colleges, which have proliferated in the last decade, do not offer sports, arts or cultural exchange.

Speaking at a launch the Zimbabwe Child Rights Audit, representatives accused the colleges of profiteering, as desperate parents lose patience with strikes by disgruntled teachers and plummeting standards in government schools.

“Children at these colleges do not dress properly and are often not well behaved,” said Sandile Gumede, the child governor for Harare.

Many colleges have children learning in overcrowded conditions. In some cases, children as young as 12 are exposed to adults as there is no age limit.

“A child does not only go to school to attain education but also to learn values for it is at schools that children learn their morals,” said Tomuseni.

Last year the Ministry of Education, Art Sports and Culture closed scores of unregistered private colleges, but child representatives noted that the clampdown did not resolve the problems.

The minister, David Coltart, said that the issue of private colleges was a cause for concern but said the blame lay with the present curriculum.

“It’s a major concern that the colleges are not following the rules, but the problem is with our curriculum that does not include culture, sports and arts. So we need to incorporate these into a new curriculum,” said Coltart.

The Zimbabwean

By Paul Ndlovu

8 February 2012

Zimbabwe has been ranked an average performing country in terms of local education examination assessment, a Cabinet minister has said.

“We have been ranked as a fairly average country in the assessment of local examinations at the Education World Forum held in London recently,” said Senator David Coltart, the Minister of Education, Arts, Sports and Culture.

The Education World Forum is a platform where education ministers discuss developments in the educational sectors of their various countries.

“We are not in a bad position, but we are striving to be like Singapore that is said to have the best standards,” said Coltart.

He said the development of Information Communication Technology was necessary in order for the country to see marked advances in the education sector.

“We need to apply ICT’s in all our schools so that we are in line with the latest trends. There is need to extend the application of ICT’s for better systems,” he said.

At the recently held ICT conference in Victoria Falls, the Minister said that he would like to increase the supply of computers to all schools. He said failure to use computer technology was going to see schools lagging behind other countries in Africa. Companies like Samsung, which were also at the conference, said they were willing to assist the country with its ICT programme.

“Samsung and Intel are willing to partner with Zimbabwe, and they have the latest technology that will benefit the country,” he said.

Many of Zimbabwe’s rural schools are not electrified, making the ICT programme impossible. However, the Minster said Samsung had plans to use advanced solar technology.

Kickoff.com

By Farirayi Kahwemba

6 February 2012

The Zimbabwean government is expecting Zifa to widen its net during an ongoing investigation into match-fixing allegations being levelled against national team players, coaches and the association’s officials.

So far the scandal has seen the arrest of former Zifa CEO Henrietta Rushwaya, who is now expected to be dragged before the courts this week for allegedly playing a leading role in ‘under-the-table’ deals that saw officials, coaches and players receiving huge sums of money in return for losing international matches played by the Warriors in Asia between 2007 and 2009.

Rushawaya, who is alleged to have made over R2-million for her central role in fixing the matches, has been questioned by police.

A committee led by a former Zimbabwe Supreme Court judge is also probing allegations that Kaizer Chiefs defender Thomas Sweswe raked in about R1.2-million after taking part in all the 15 matches that are in question, and that other players were given at least R77 600 per fixed match.

President Robert Mugabe, who met with Fifa president Sepp Blatter in Harare in 2010 shortly after the match-fixing allegations came to light, is said to be eagerly awaiting the outcome of the Zifa investigation.

Mugabe, who is known to attend football matches in Zimbabwe involving the national teams, promised Blatter that anyone found guilty would face the “full wrath of the law”.

Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister, David Coltart, says Zifa must not be selective when punishing those found on the wrong side of the law. “The law must take its full course, without fear or favour.”

Zifa has complicated matters by not suspending the national team’s assistant coach, Joey Antipas, despite the fact that he made statements admitting he received money from an Asian betting syndicate.

But the football association says it will, in time, also address the issue of coaches and officials who have been fingered in the scam.

“Zifa has only made a position on the players fingered in the Asiagate scandal,” Zifa CEO Jonathan Mashingaidze tells Zimbabwean media. “There is no position yet on officials but eventually there will be.

“We are not shielding anyone at all. We are going in a systematic way. We are playing Burundi at the end of February, which is not far off, that is why preparations have to start,” adds Mashingaidze.

• Zimsec O levels exam results are out today – congrats to the Board, Director and staff for improving the service to Zimbabwe schoolchildren #
• Zimbabwe Cabinet has its first meeting of 2012 tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how the Christmas hols have treated everyone. #
• Here's all of us wishing @KirstyCoventry well as she moves to the US to complete her preparations for 2012 Olympics. Famba zvakanaka Kirsty #
• It is trying to rain in Bulawayo after weeks of drought – come on rain we desperately need you to come down – our crops are stressed! #
• Zimbabwe just about to start their 1st 50 over match against NZ. Heads up lads – put the test behind you and move ahead positively. Go Zim! #
• Delighted that Stuart Masikenyeri has been given another chance to play for Zimbabwe – thoroughly well deserved selection. Go Stu! #
• Williamson caught by Taibu – not given out. Taylor did not seek DRS and as a result Zimbabwe lose out. Need to be more positive – heads up! #
• Zim really haven't had much luck today – Guptill lucky, Williamson should have been given out. But you have to make your luck Zim #
• After 3 innings against New Zealand it is quite clear that we are sorely missing Vusi Sibanda. Case of cutting off nose to spite our face? #
• As in the Test not a bad bowling performance but we are being let down by our batting top order. Do we need to swallow some humble pie? #
• Thank goodness Pricey is showing some character as usual – the top order need to borrow some of his determination. Never, ever give up! #
• Now a reverse sweep from Pricey for 4! I just love this fellow! Frustrating the hell out of New Zealand. This is the spirit Zimbabwe! #
• We should never forget that Ray Price opened the batting for his school Watershed College – he has the second highest score today against NZ #
• Nice to see all the Zimbabwean exiles in the crowd at Dunedin supporting Zimbabwe. Seems as if there are more Zim supporters than for NZ #
• "How had UN res. 1973 on Libya and South Africa's naive and treacherous role in it impacted on Zuma's candidature?" Manheru in Herald today #
• Zim boy set to star for Scots in 6-Nations http://t.co/v1mKyi7g . Pocock, Beast now Denton – Zim is the breeding ground for world rugby #
• Cricket: Olonga softens on Zimbabwe world tours – Cricket – NZ Herald News http://t.co/KbDI5f2w via @nzherald #
• Good game by 8th man Denton for Scotland yesterday against England. Zim produces great loose forwards. Imagine Denton and Pocock together! #

The Standard

By Albert Marufu

5 February 2012

Where to Zimbabwe football? This is the question hovering in many soccer fans’ minds following Zifa’s decision to suspend 82 players who allegedly accepted bribes to lose matches in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia between 2007 and 2009.

The 82 players include senior players such as Thomas Sweswe, Nyasha Mushekwi, Method Mwanjali, Ovidy Karuru, Edward Sadomba, Zhaimu Jambo, Washington Arubi, Daniel Vheremu, Khama Billiat and Willard Katsande.

The players will only return to national duty after being cleared by the independent Ethics Committee headed by retired judge Justice Ahmed Ebrahim and that rules them out of the February 29 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi.

The scandal has already claimed the scalp of former Zifa chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya who has already been arrested while the mastermind, Wilson Raj Perumal, is languishing in a Finland jail. Questions have been asked about the impact of the decision to suspend the players or the ultimate ban that may be instituted if the offenders are found guilty.

Veteran soccer journalist Charles “CNN” Mabika believes that when the worst comes to the worst and most of the players are found guilty by the commission, then the nation should draw lessons from the Zambians who built a winning team after the demise of their best in the 1993 airplane crash.

“I am not hoping for the worst, but if such a thing happens we have to draw lessons from the Zambian experience. They lost an entire team in the middle of a World Cup qualifying process, but in two months, they had assembled a team good enough to reach the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

“We will have to do with what we have and the right thing to do is to give the national team coaches all the help they require,” he said.

Mabika said the game against Burundi should be fulfilled as the association risks being fined heavily by Confederation of African Football if they pull out.

Former national team midfielder Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa concurred with Mabika. “If most of the players are found guilty, then that will be a disaster for the sport in the country. We would have to start afresh as a nation and maybe focus on the 2018 qualifiers. Moreover, our image as a nation would be tainted,” he said.

Soccer administrator Nelson Matongorere sees it from a different angle and said this would avenues to a better future.

“A scandal has happened in our football and whoever has been fingered should come forward and clear their name and that applies to players as well. It is bad for our football, but these guys are facing serious allegations. My major concern is with Zifa as they are taking too long to solve the issue,” he said.

“I have confidence that justice will prevail as we have a retired Supreme Court judge presiding over the matter. However, if our biggest fear happens, then we will have to look to the future and maybe use our junior teams in major tournaments. What use will it be for us to qualify for a tournament with tainted players and then have problems four years later?”

However, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart’s view is that it is not all doom and gloom for Zimbabwean football. He praised Zifa for the attempts to weed out corruption from football.

“I think the best thing to do is to avoid speculation on this issue. Zifa has set up an independent Ethics Committee to investigate the alleged match-fixing so let us give the committee time,” Coltart said.

“I believe that something positive will come out of this and Zifa must act swiftly so that the innocent players will be cleared. I do not think every player implicated is guilty. My hope is that we can still put together a strong team for the game against Burundi later this month,” he said.

“I understand we still have players such as (Knowledge) Musona, Tinashe Nengomasha, Lincoln Zvasiya and Tapiwa Kapini who can form the backbone of the team,” he said.

Former Zifa chairman Rafiq Khan said while it would be a major setback if the players were to be banned, the Zimbabwean league is still good enough to provide players for the national team.

“It takes many years to develop a player. However, I have always been a firm believer in home-based talent. Remember I insisted on the use of local players while I was still the (Zifa) chairman and we won the Cosafa Cup, beating Zambia and Angola in the process.

“I am looking at countries at the nations cup and most of them would have never competed with us six years ago. Something is going terribly wrong in our football. The team has to be assembled now and we should help it mentally and physically,” he said from his South African base.

New Zealand Herald

By Andrew Alderson

5 February 2012

Henry Olonga has changed his tune. The once controversial Zimbabwean cricketer – who has become a professional musician-artist-public speaker in England – now endorses his country touring the world to play cricket.

That is a significant turnaround from where the 35-year-old stood on the issue in the aftermath of the 2003 World Cup in Africa. As members of the Zimbabwe team, Olonga and Andy Flower wore black armbands against Namibia in Harare to mourn the ‘death of democracy’ in their country.

Driven by the words of 18th century British politician Edmund Burke when he said, “all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”, Olonga made his protest.

He hasn’t returned to Zimbabwe since. In his book Blood, Sweat and Treason Olonga says he feared arrest after the World Cup when his father received a note via the Zimbabwe central intelligence organisation saying: “tell your son he needs to get out of Zimbabwe before the World Cup ends.”

Olonga claims the only thing stopping him being sent to prison was the presence of foreign journalists and the fact Zimbabwe made the Super Sixes.

They flew to South Africa for those matches and Olonga made his getaway from Johannesburg once they exited the tournament.

This week – nine years on from the armband incident – Olonga wants Zimbabwe to play more international cricket.

His softening of stance comes as the Movement for Democratic Change gains some policy wins in its awkward government coalition with President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party.

Olonga’s position has been influenced by his friend David Coltart becoming minister for education, sport, arts and culture. Coltart originally suggested the idea of the black armbands to Olonga and Flower.

As a poster child for sporting boycotts, Olonga was also invited to New Zealand in 2005 by the Green Party to add a credible voice as to why the Black Caps should cancel their proposed tour. It didn’t happen, but Olonga brought pressure to bear.

“I’ve stepped back now,” Olonga says. “I don’t have the same political will to effect positive change. All the average Zimbabwean wants is a decent life, minding their own business, irrespective of the politics,” Olonga says.

“I still feel strongly about some of the nonsense at the highest level of politics but I’ve reluctantly backed off calling for boycotts. The way things are, I may as well support the boys because they can be role models and influencers at national level if they choose to be.”

Olonga acknowledges Zimbabwe’s record capitulation in Napier last weekend set things back but insists there is genuine talent in their ranks.

“It can’t have been pretty to watch. That’s unfortunate because when New Zealand were in Bulawayo last year Zimbabwe performed admirably [falling just 34 runs short of the 366-run target]. They promise to be a competitive side which makes it extra disappointing to be outplayed in New Zealand. Getting bowled out two times in a day is embarrassing but other teams have also had failures recently, like Australia making 47 in Cape Town.”

Olonga was the first black cricketer and youngest Zimbabwe player at the time to make his test debut, 17 years ago last week. He has continued playing cricket for the Lashings celebrity XI in festival matches across England but now devotes most of his time to the arts and his family of wife Tara and daughter Talika with another baby on the way.

“I’ve got plans to do more spiritual, gospel and covers music,” Olonga says. “I’m working on another album which should be released mid-year. I have a home studio and while the albums take time to put together, you can do it easily with the technology. You don’t need to be signed to a label. I just upload my music to online music stores.

“It can be tedious, monotonous and repetitive… but ultimately rewarding. I like the idea I can be earning money at 3am in the morning,” he quips.

“There are other projects brewing. I’ve been commissioned to do a painting of a headmaster who is leaving a local school. I also do a lot of public speaking in schools, universities and churches, telling my story of faith, politics and cricket.”

Olonga says writing the book about his experiences helped shed the cloak of his past.

“It was a traumatic experience but it helped to visit those places in my past. I lost a lot of my cricket career but moved on and decided I wanted to live ‘in the now’.”

New Zimbabwe

4 February 2012

Olympic champion swimmer Kirsty Coventry has announced she is moving back to her former coach in the United States as she prepares for the London Games next year.

The Zimbabwean, who has been based in South Africa for the last three years, had previously hinted she would be hosted by the Royal Couple of Monaco in the months leading up to the 2012 Olympics.

But the 29-year-old announced on Twitter she was returning to Texas, her previous base.

“Moving back to my coach Kim Brackin in the US, because I trust her 100 percent and I know she has my back!,” Coventry said.

She added in two other tweets: “I’ll be leaving Africa for Texas on 7th February. My base will be Austin and training with the girls at the University of Texas. Yeehaah!

“Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement over my decision to move back to the US. You’re all awesome!”

Among those backing Coventry’s move was Sports Minister David Coltart, who also used his Twitter account to wish her well.

“Here’s all of us wishing Kirsty Coventry well as she moves to the US to complete her preparations for 2012 Olympics. Famba zvakanaka (Go well) Kirsty,” the minister said.

Brackin was at the helm of the bulk of Coventry’s top successes, including two Olympic gold medals in the 200 backstroke at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games. Coventry also has four silvers to her credit, and a bronze.

In long course world championship competition, she also won three world titles and placed runner-up five other times.

“I’m thrilled to have her back at Texas,” Brackin told Swimming World. “She raises the bar for everyone and brings a level of experience that my team will benefit from being around.

“I’m excited to challenge her and help her prepare to race at her best in London. Besides being a great athlete, she is just someone I enjoy being around every day.

The London Olympics get underway on July 26, running through to August 12, 2012.

NewsDay

2 February 2012

Parents at Plumtree High School have reportedly threatened to transfer their children following a resolution passed at the annual general meeting on Saturday to scrap debts owed by the school development committee (SDC) members, who have not been paying for their children for the past four years.

The parents were angry their children were regularly expelled from school if they delayed school fee payments, while SDC members children were not paying.

Law enforcement agents were in attendance as chaos was feared at the meeting. The meeting was supposed to start at 9am, but was delayed until 12pm.

SDC chairman Elson Shava reportedly expressed concern over leakage of sensitive information to the Press prompting an investigation by the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture into the school operations.

School head Prince Mange reportedly admitted at the meeting SDC members were not paying levies for their children and asked parents to agree on having the outstanding amounts owed by SDC members written off.

Two parents seconded the proposal making it a binding resolution. Calculations showed the SDC members had not paid a combined total of $8 300 per term which parents cited as a serious deprivation of funds for the cash-strapped school.

A parent told NewsDay the move was a sad development since the 10 SDC members have two children each at the school.

We had better withdraw our children from this school. We cannot continue to be swindled like this. We will be writing to the Auditor-General soon to express our concerns over this issue, said a parent.

Irate parents exposed alleged corruption activities to the Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart in October last year. The government immediately dispatched a probe team to the school, but its findings are yet to be made public.

Parents were infuriated by the schools failure to settle a debt of $60 000 owed to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) and Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa).

They also accused school authorities of failing to account for $80 000 meant for the purchase of a power generator.

Mange reportedly told parents it was normal for institutions to owe Zesa and Zinwa such amounts.

He said the money meant for the purchase of a generator was used for refurbishment of infrastructure.

The Guardian

By David Smith

1 February 2012

National team players alleged to have taken bribes to throw matches played in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Eighty Zimbabwean footballers have been suspended because of alleged involvement in Asian betting syndicates linked to match-fixing.

The country’s sports minister said football was “riddled with corruption”, and called for politics to be rooted out of the sport.

The players, including leading members of the national team, are alleged to have taken bribes to throw friendly matches between 2007 and 2009.

The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has set up an independent ethics committee to investigate the alleged fixing, which it believes took place when the national team played in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.

The games were not part of any competition. In fact, it is now suspected they were arranged specifically for the purpose of betting. The scandal has been dubbed “Asiagate” by the Zimbabwean press.

Jonathan Mashingaidze, chief executive of Zifa, told the state-owned Herald newspaper: “Every player who was mentioned in the ‘Asiagate’ report, regardless of how many matches played, are suspended and will only be cleared by the ethics committee and, for now, they are not eligible for selection in any national duty commitments.

“We are saying everyone involved in Asiagate should step aside until the case has been finalised. There shouldn’t be favouritism. We are not convicting them and we are not saying clubs should convict them as yet.”

David Coltart, the education, sport and culture minister, said: “This doesn’t come as a surprise. We’ve been aware of match fixing allegations for some time. I have called for the introduction of a zero tolerance approach to this and I was expecting action to be taken.

“Obviously this will affect Zimbabwe’s performance in the short term but football has been riddled with corruption and that must be one of reasons why we haven’t performed as well as we should.”

Coltart, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change, described the national administration of the game as “shambolic”.

He continued: “The structure of the professional game has declined in Zimbabwe. At the core of this are a few administrators who’ve led the players astray through greed.

“It would be unfair to align them to [president Robert Mugabe’s] Zanu-PF. But football has been highly politicised in the past and that has to be rooted out.”

An investigation into the Asiagate scandal last year led to the dismissal of the former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya, seen as a Mugabe loyalist.

The player suspensions are likely to affect Zimbabwe’s bid to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Matches start this month, with Zimbabwe facing Burundi on 29 February in the first qualifier.

The Herald reported that the 80 blacklisted players include Ovidy Karuru, Zhaimu Jambo, Washington Arubi, Daniel Vheremu, Khama Billiat, Gilbert Mapemba, Willard Katsande, Thomas Sweswe, Method Mwanjali and Edward Sadomba.

The players are dispersed around the world. They can continue playing club football although a ban could be imposed by Fifa if they are found guilty by Zifa’s ethics committee.

Zimbabwe is already under investigation by the world football governing body.

Its chief executive, Sepp Blatter, warned during a visit to Harare last year that players and officials found guilty of graft would face life bans.

Steve Bloomfield, author of Africa United: How Football Explains Africa, said: “Football in Zimbabwe mirrors almost exactly the country’s politics.

“It’s sad for the players involved because they were just pawns in a wider political game. This is what happens when football and politics collide in a corrupt, autocratic regime.”