Newsday

By Tatenda Chitagu

March 22 2011

The recent incarceration of Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC-T co-chairperson of Copac, did not have anything to do with politics, his Zanu PF counterpart Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana has said.

Mwonzora, MDC-T MP for Nyanga North, spent nearly a month in remand prison after he was arrested for allegedly inciting public violence.

In an interview, on the sidelines of the anti-sanctions petition launch in Masvingo on Saturday, Mangwana said no Copac material was tampered with during Mwonzora’s absence as there were other members from other political parties.

“It was progress as usual. Everything was going on as normal. We did not miss Mwonzora,” Mangwana said.

“There was no tampering with the people’s views as you know that there are other members from the three parties in the GPA. The other co-chair, Edward Mkhosi, of the MDC, was also there, as well as other members of the select committee, monitoring what was going on, so there is nothing like that.”

Other members of the committee include MPs Jessie Majome, Flora Bhuka, Amos Chibaya, Walter Chidakwa,Gift Chimanikire, Edward Chindori-Chininga, David Coltart, Gladys Dube, Joram Gumbo, Ian Kay, Martin Khumalo, Believe Gaule, Cephas Makuyana, and Thokozile Mathuthu, among others.

“To say Zanu PF got a chance to alter the people’s views in the absence of the MDC-T co-chair is unfounded. These are unwarranted allegations,” Mangwana said.

Mangwana said Copac was engaged in uploading of data which he said should be over by the end of March.

He said the draft constitution should be out by August or at the latest, September.

He said Copac had acquired $9 million from the government and donors to facilitate the process.

“We managed to get $9 million last week. Treasury released $5 million, and we got the remainder from donors.”

Mangwana said an extra $3 million would be needed for Copac to complete the replacement of the current Constitution, a product of the Lancaster House Conference of 1979.

“We will need another $3 million to complete the process.

“We intend to get half from government and half from donors,” said Mangwana.

Newsday

By Dumisani Sibanda and Nduduzo Tshuma

22 March 2011

The MDC-T controlled Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has shot down a Zanu PF request to use council schools as anti-sanctions petition signing centres.

On Monday, Zanu PF announced it had established signing centres at 54 schools in Bulawayo province where the public are expected to append their signatures denouncing the travel and economic embargo imposed on Zanu PF leaders and functionaries by Western countries.

BCC has 29 primary schools. Out of these, 16 have been short-listed by Zanu PF as proposed anti-sanctions petition signing centres.

BCC chamber secretary Sikhangele Zhou on Monday confirmed they had turned down the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development’s request to use council schools as anti-sanctions petition signing centres.

“The councillors said schools should not be used for non-educational activities. It was suggested that they use public halls by booking and paying for them in the usual manner and I understand they have booked and paid for Stanley Hall,” she said.

“The decision is in line with government policy as announced by minister David Coltart himself.”

Coltart is the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and is on record denouncing the use of school premises for political activities.

On Monday, Coltart said he was taken aback by the Zanu PF decision to use schools as anti-sanctions petition signing centres and said he would immediately consult Secretary for Education Stephen Mahere to find out whether he had sanctioned the decision.

“We do not support any political or party activity in schools,” said Coltart.

Asked what he would do if the permanent secretary did not sanction the use of schools, Coltart said:

“I am going to discuss the matter with my senior staff to find out what is the best way forward. If it is a Zanu PF activity, then it is totally unacceptable. We have a clear and consistent policy against the holding of party and political activities in schools.”

Though Zanu PF has described the activity as a national exercise, other political parties in the inclusive government have snubbed it arguing it was a Zanu PF project.

At the weekend, Zanu PF launched its anti-sanctions campaign in all the country’s provinces.

The programme is expected to run until the end of March.

Herald

Monday, 21 March 2011

From Robson Sharuko in KOLKATA, India

DELIRIOUS Dynamos fans turned to the social media forums last night, in cyberspace celebrations to salute the Glamour Boys, after they overpowered Maouloudia Club Alger 4-1 at Rufaro, in a sensational start to their Champions League campaign.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, also sent a message, via Facebook, congratulating Dynamos.

Not since a 6-1 destruction of Mbabane Highlanders of Swaziland in 1987 have the Glamour Boys made such a storming start to their campaign on the continent and, after having waited for almost a quarter-of-a-century, it probably explains the frenzy of joy that swept through their fans’ hearts yesterday.

Times have certainly changed, for both Dynamos and the old Cup of Club Champions which now goes with the trendy identity of Champions League, but yesterday – as the Glamour Boys raced to a 4-0 lead and then settled for a 4-1 win, it provided a hint of a throwback to the days when Rufaro was a burial ground for visiting teams.

Their victims yesterday, commonly known as MC Alger, are not small boys either.

Exactly 35 years might have passed since they were last crowned champions of Africa but they are a seasoned lot and there is a reason why they have won seven Algerian league championship titles.

What appeared to impress the Dynamos fans who were at Rufaro yesterday, and who provided the live feeds via the social media forums to their counterparts spread around the globe, was not that their team won 4-1 but the impressive manner that they went about their business.

Most of the fans who tweeted or sent their updates on Facebook appeared to convinced that their team had undergone a stunning transformation, since the arrival of artistic coach Lloyd Mutasa, and a certain swagger had been added to its play.

To the DeMbare loyalists, Mutasa and his men had already shown them a lot, during the pre-season matches, to make them believe in a better season where football would be played with style.

According to their fans, it was Denver Mukamba who illuminated the show, capping it all with a good goal, and the Warriors’ fans will be hoping that the young forward takes his good form into next weekend’s big game against Mali in Bamako. But yesterday belonged to DeMbare and judging by their messages on the social media forums they believe their team has done enough to advance:

Quote Of The Day:

“I think (Lloyd) Mutasa is Zimbabwe’s (Pep) Guardiola. I’m seeing the class of Barca, the spirit of Man U, the youth of Arsenal, the defence of Italy, the voice of the Kop and the royalty of Real Madrid in this Dynamos team,” – VaShagare, Dynamos fan.

Other Comments

Samson Makunde: Good football from DeMbare. I hope the Warriors will learn from DeMbare.Well done DeMbare.

Wellington Shoriwa: Mutasa is our Mourinho in the making. He is shrewd and tactical

Lloyd Chirinda: It can only be DeMbare. DeMbare chete, chete, chete. Waziva Dynamos, waziva chokwadi. You will never go wrong.

Gondai Mazhuwa: That’s good news really, if Mighty Bulls had done the same, it could have been a good weekend for Zimbabwean sport. Well done DeMbare, like I said before only DeMbare can make us proud on the international scene. Well done to Mutasa and his technical team, supporters and, of course, the real superstars, the players. Well done.

SiyabongaVaDube (CAPS United fan): The Champions League is coming to Zim, team yakabatana iyi. What remains is to prime the youthful guys for the big stage. Concentration levels must remain high. But super performance, conjures memories of ‘98 but with a bit more style. Bhora Dembare. The guys should not grow big heads chete and I assure you Africa will be conquered. But from what I have seen Dynamos is a complete team. Game over, well done Lodza, well done Boys in Blue. Ndiri muKepeKepe but vakomana veblue vakaipa.

Joseph Musarurwa: Great stuff from a great teamAlfred Mutendera: The goal by Denver Mukamba was so good, it was just like watching Messi or Rooney. Magical stuff Dembare

Eliah Mulonda: The youngsters need to be told not to give unnecessary penalties and for Arubi not to get stupid yellow cards otherwise it was a good show. Well done guys

Chris Gutsa: Denver Mukamba’s goal was one for the archives. I salute the young man and pray that publicity won’t get to his head. He is a magician.

Mark Moteme: Thanks guys, thanks DeMbare, this shows that we can compete with the world. TP Mazembe be warned. Zimbabwe this time means business.

Onias Peterson Joshua Matava: Vimisayi is awesome, since at school.

Lazarus Ndenda: Zvinoda kutendwa. Go DeMbare!

Kenneth Chadiwa: Since 1963, DeMbare

Musa Karemela: I am a CAPS United supporter but l would like to congratulate Madzibaba Mutasa. A passing game for DeMbare helped them achieve the result. I hope they do the same in Algeria.

Jonathan Mutonga: Mukamba special.Veteran Desmond played brilliantly.

Lucky Hombarume: It’s a job well done by DeMbare and if they keep up that kind of play they will make us a happy people. Makorokoto maDeMbare.

William Masiyiwa: Well done Glamour Boys.

Robert Wilson: Varume ava vakaipa.

Phillip Hozo: Skies are blue for DeMbare

Edmore Chivizhe: Charamba’s song – Team yeDeMbare makaida Baba, makatipa Denver, tina Vimisayi, makatida Baba, Makatipa Mutuma na Zhokinyi, makaita basa, Apo tinoenda Algeria muirangarire. Dynamo bhora and I will make shuwa that ini nemhuri yangu tichasapota dzamara tafa.

Mark Ganje: DeMbare makapenga, what a match, I’m having a drink, Desmond Maringwa is a star.

Claudius Manyadza: I am a CAPS United die-hard supporter and (thank you) for representing our beloved Zimbabwe so well in the Champions League. It’s unfortunate the Mighty Bulls had to bow out through the lottery (because of) political unrest in Ivory Coast. Who knows, maybe Joey and his boys were to get a victory in Abijan.

Petra  Schools

By the Chaplain

http://petrahigh.com/chaplain.html

21 March 2011

We celebrate Founders Weekend to give thanks to God for His provision of the schools to the community and remember the people who have been involved in the building up of the Petra schools over the last twenty four years.  Petra started as a longing in the hearts of many Christian parents to see a school established with Christian principles and able to offer good education. A motion was put forward at the Bulawayo Presbyterian Church A.G.M. in 1986 by one of the then elders Mr David Coltart to commence work on establishing a Christian School.

Three churches joined forces in this project: the Presbyterians, the Baptists and the Methodists. By 1987 the Primary School opened as Grade 1 in the Bulawayo Baptist Church, with Mrs Monica Ainscough as Headmistress, Sandy Adams as Bursar, and  Christopher Hingley as the first Chaplain.  Some of the names on the original steering committee included John Cuddington, David Coltart, Brian and Jenny Anderson, Rob and Gloria Drayton, Ian Spence and Jan Kreft.

They were supported by the technical team of Angus Burroughs, Angus Wilson, Peter Rix, Kevin Thomson and Malcolm Davidson. By December 1987 the first block, which is today’s Grade 3 and 4 block, was ready for occupancy. In January 1988 Grade one and Grade two classes took up residence in the new buildings. During this time work commenced on the second block and the fields began to be developed.

Over the years the Primary School developed and today boasts a significant complex with Hall, Administration Blocks and Departments from Grade 0 to Grade 7, including progress classes. The Headmasters who have led the school over the years include Monica Ainscough, Ray Pountney, Bafundi Mpofu, and Gibson Connick. The school operated under a Board of Governors who answered to a Trust consisting of John Cuddington, David Coltart, Dennis Payne and Brian Anderson.

As the existing school began to reach senior grades a new steering committee was established.  Some of the people involved in that committee included Rodney Capon, Raymond Tink, Lolka Bokma, Steve Leach, Victor Nakah, Malcolm Davidson and Linda Spence. The High School started with 60 pupils in Form One in 1993, using the present Grade One and Two block at the Primary School, and an old Lewis Lumber shed as the Office, until later taking over the office in the Primary School Administration Block, used as the sick bay today.  In the mid 1990’s the schools formed two separate Boards as it was felt that the schools at that time had specific and different needs from each other. This was under the chairmanship of John Cuddington and Christopher Hingley;  new chairmen followed in the years to come, including James Bunt, Gavin Davies Coleman, Richard Pope, Themba Nkomo,  Shupi Nyoni,  and Edson Ngaaseke.

The High School commenced construction of the double storey block in 1993 and the following year Forms one and two were housed in the new building. Some of the names of the first members of staff were S. Lubbe, L. Spence, M. Davidson, A. Motsi, T. McGovern, E. Anderson, S. Moyo, G. Pattison, B. Pagden, K. Thomson, M. Ndlovu, A. Davidson, C. Capon, and P. Cuddington. The Chaplains included Ray Motsi, Chris Anderson, Rob Goodwin and Farai Mbarimi. The first Headmaster, Mr Tim Middleton, arrived in the third term of 1993.  He was succeeded by Ray Pountney, Christopher Hingley, Joe Mandikate and Crispin Eley.

Today the High School has developed with some wonderful infrastructure, including Science labs, Computer labs, Sixth Form Centre, art rooms, drawing rooms and a Beit Centre and Library, along with an Administration Block. There are over 1200 pupils enrolled in the schools and a combined staff in excess of 100. It is estimated that some 3000 pupils have passed through the Petra school s over the years, many of whom are married with children and who are impacting the country and the world through life skills, values, education and faith nurtured and developed at Petra.

At the Founders’ Weekend we pause and give God honour and glory for what He has accomplished at Petra through the labour of Trusts, Boards, the Staff, the Pupils and the Parents and the many servants of Petra along the way, both past and present, who have faithfully played their part in the schools. We join in prayer at this time too, for provision and guidance of Petra School’s future years to  come.

The Associated Press

By Enock Muchinjo

21 March 2011

Zimbabwe Sports Minister David Coltart has defended the decision for the national team to return to test cricket this year amid criticism over its performance at the World Cup.

Zimbabwe lost to Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to crash out of the World Cup in the group stage.

The African team convincingly beat Associate sides Canada and Kenya, but had been hoping for at least one upset in the other Group A matches in order to progress to the knockout stage.

Zimbabwe will return to the five-day format in a one-off test against Bangladesh in August at a date to be confirmed. The team will then host other one-off tests, against Pakistan in September and New Zealand in October or November.

Asked how Zimbabwe could reasonably expect to compete in test cricket, Coltart said the players’ abilities aren’t particularly conducive to doing well in limited-overs matches.

“There is a difference between test cricket and one-day cricket,” he told The Associated Press. “There is no doubt that some of our players are perhaps better suited to test cricket. We have a variety of spin bowlers who can keep things tight at test level.

“We have had a good start to our preparations for a test return. In 2004 and 2005 when we stopped playing tests, we did not play a lot of four-day cricket. We now do. We must be under no illusion — it will take quite an adjustment.”

Coltart nominated Sean Ervine, who was called up into the World Cup squad before having to withdraw due to a fractured thumb, as one player better suited to test cricket.

“Sean Ervine is a good Test cricketer. I don’t want to disrespect him, but he is better suited to tests than ODI cricket,” Coltart said. “Before he withdrew, there were question marks about him being good enough in the first place.

“We need people like that back. One weakness we have is that we have a lot of young players who are hotheaded. In tests you need to be coolheaded.”

Zimbabwe finished fifth in its group with a run-rate of +0.030 to be the only team not to qualify for the quarterfinals that had a positive scoring rate, a fact pointed out by Coltart.

“We were never thrashed,” Coltart said. “While the team didn’t perform to our expectations, the other teams never had a complete success against us. No team was able to score rapidly against our spinners.

“What I observed was a psychological weakness against the big teams when batting. We psyched ourselves out of these games. I think we were overpowered by the big teams. Against Kenya and Canada we were relaxed and played to our potential. In essence, we will only do well when we start to be a bit more positive in our thinking. “

Standard

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/

Sunday, 20 March 2011

By Jennifer Dube

GOVERMENT will soon roll out a programme to restock secondary schools with textbooks after a similar initiative saw 13 million books being given to primary schools last year.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart said funding had already been obtained for the programme to make sure that students did not share textbooks.

The Education Transition Fund (ETF) delivered 13 million text books to 5 575 schools around the country and Coltart said the pupil/textbook ration was now 1:1.

Unicef and other donors bankrolled ETF.

“We want to have 1:1 ratios for all textbooks at secondary schools as well so that we can restore excellence in our education sector,” he said.

Coltart was speaking at an event to commission the electrification of classroom blocks at Westlea Primary School.

The government and the international donor community, led by Unicef last year supplied textbooks to over 5 575 schools under the first phase of the ETF, a multi-donor funding mechanism designed to mobilise resources for the education sector.

Most schools were operating on a 10:1 pupils to textbook ratio.

The electrification of Westlea Primary was part of various projects being

initiated by Harare West constituency MP Jessie Majome under the

Constituency Development Fund.

http://sportales.com

By Charles Ray, US Ambassador to Zimbabwe

19 March 2011

After a five-year voluntary absence from Test Cricket, Zimbabwe’s national team goes up against a seasoned line-up in the World Cup matches in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. Despite not winning, they still came away “winners” because of the spirit of their play and the fire in their bellies to prove themselves.

The late Vince Lombardi, famous winning coach of the Green Bay Packers and coach for the Washington Redskins, once said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”  Now, I have the greatest respect for Lombardi; in my opinion one of the greatest football coaches who ever lived; but, I have to take exception to that statement.  In sport, and in the game of life, sometimes it’s as important how you lose as how you win.

Take the Zimbabwe national cricket team, for instance.  Returning to top level cricket for the first time in five years recently in Cricket World Cup matches against Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Pakistan they lost, but one has to label this valiant young team a bunch winners nevertheless.  These young men went up against teams with outstanding records; and more significantly, with five years of test match experience that they lost out on; and they still hung in there.  As Zimbabwe’s minister of education, sports, art and culture David Coltart said, “One only has to look at the way Bangladesh has performed to see that we have not disgraced ourselves – in fact our run rate is the best outside the 8 test nations who have qualified for the quarters.”

The quality of the team’s play was first rate; it was just they were matched against teams with more experience.  I had the opportunity to meet with the team just before their departure for the matches, and I was impressed with the fighting spirit they displayed.  As I said to them in the pep talk I gave them, “winning is more than just scoring points.  The team that posts the most runs will win the match, but the team that hangs in there, even when the odds are against them, and when no one thinks they can win, will be the real winner in the long run.”  They apparently took my words to heart, because they hung in despite the long odds against them.

Zimbabwe voluntarily withdrew from Test cricket in 2006 after a controversy between the team’s senior players and management, greatly weakening the team.  Plans to return to Test play last year were cancelled when the New Zealand team refused to come to Zimbabwe, citing security concerns.  Those matches would have given the inexperienced young team some much needed blooding before their journey to the World Cup matches.  Some of the senior players, including Grant Flower and Ray Price, returned to the squad, and Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Ozias Bvute believes that the team will emerge stronger in the end.

Like the ‘Little Engine That Could.” Zimbabwe’s team will be winners in the end – just wait and see.

www.kubatana.com

By Tendai Huchu, Africa Report

18 March 2011

Last August I had the privilege of hearing David Coltart, Zimbabwe’s education minister from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, speak at the Edinburgh Book Festival. Most of his talk focused on the problems Zimbabwe faced – which are already well known – but I was rather surprised when he moved on to speak about the cabinet’s response to the teachers’ wage strike in the preceding months.

He said that whilst he had favoured a negotiated settlement, most of his colleagues from his party, like those from the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, were in favour of using the full extent of the country’s repressive laws to break up the strike. It was only after Mugabe’s personal intervention that the matter was decided in his favour.

What I found surprising was the willingness of opposition members in the unity government to use force against constituents who had previously suffered oppression for supporting them. It seemed to me that once in a position of power their attitude had already changed, which says a lot about governments in our continent.

I found myself wondering if changing the faces in government would change realities on the ground. After all, we have been here before. The very revolutionaries who suffered and bled under colonial oppression in turn began to oppress the people who had supported them during Zimbabwe’s independence struggle.

There are many absurd parallels between Zimbabwe today and colonial Rhodesia. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the role of the military and police, which were set up, not primarily to protect the country from external threats or maintain law and order, but to suppress citizens. Today these institutions still mainly exist for this function. Other arms of the government only serve to entrench the interest of the elite. The prevailing attitude is “to govern is to completely dominate.”

Whilst criticising the government is easy, more nuanced are the parallels one finds in society itself. The middle and upper classes have merely supplanted the old white elite, with all the usual trappings – large houses, fancy cars, housemaids, garden boys and foreign holidays. They are all too comfortable flashing opulence, seemingly oblivious of the dire poverty around them.

I am not convinced that changing the faces in government is going to transform the country in any meaningful way if it means preserving its blatantly colonial character. What Zimbabwe needs is a meaningful national dialogue that seeks to create a true African democracy: the creation of an intellectual framework that everyone buys into, not just the wealthy and powerful, and which seeks to transform the relationship between the people and the state.

I do not pretend to know what form such a framework would take, but with elections pending later this year it is not enough to keep repeating the same formula that has failed the people for 120 years.

Zimbabwean

Written by Fungi Kwaramba

Friday, 18 March 2011

HARARE – The ministry of Education, Art, Sport and Culture will soon establish night schools to reduce the debilitating effects of more than a decade of decay in the education sector precipitated by President Robert Mugabe’s ruinous policies.

Speaking last week at an electricity commissioning programme at Westlea Primary School, Education Minister David Coltart said his ministry had successfully equipped schools with books and was now turning its attention to the electrification of schools.

“We have realised that it is essential to establish night schools so that people who dropped out of school can go back and at least get basic education that will enable them to fend for themselves,” said Coltart.

Hundreds of thousands dropped out of school before the inception of the Government of National Unity (GNU) as parents battled to pay school fees in the face of unprecedented hyperinflation and economic meltdown, and thousands of teachers left the country to escape poverty and political persecution by Zanu (PF) militias and state agents. Coltart is determined to reintroduce night schools that were once popular in the 80s and 90s.

Many teachers have now returned and Coltart has promised that they will be paid for teaching extra lessons.

“We have secured funding from donors for the night school programme. Teachers will be paid with the funds that we secured recently,” he said.

The night schools are expected to equip people with the necessary basic education in line of the government commitment to education so as to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Coltart also urged schools not only to concentrate on education but also other core values of the ministry such as sports and art.

“If we become narrowly focused on education alone we will not wholly benefit the student. Sport is business and parents should encourage students to consider sport and art,” said Coltart.

Harare West legislator Jessie Majome, who used her ConstituencyDevelopment Fund (CDF) to electrify the school, said the provision of electricity was critical for all schools in the country.

www.mediacentrezim.com

18 March 2011

By Gilbert Munetsi

THE education ministry is finding it difficult to sustain its operations, as it has to rely on US$63 million out   US$469 million it got from the treasury. The revelations were made by Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Senator David Coltart, while responding to a question raised by Mberengwa East legislator, Mr. Makhosini Hlongwane (Zanu-PF), on whether the Government has a policy in place that is meant to protect the various vulnerable children in rural areas to ensure that they have an access to education.

“Honourable members of the house may think that the budget allocated to my ministry is a lot of money, but when you analyse, you will see that it is grossly insufficient. US$406 million of the US$469 million has been allocated to salaries, leaving a balance of US$63 million to run the Education Ministry including Sport, Arts and Culture.

“We have over three million children that we have to educate but we have something like US$2 per child per month to educate children, which is awfully inadequate,” he said.

Senator Coltart alluded to the fact that there were an increased number of parents and guardians who could no longer afford to pay fees, and the problem was further aggravated by the ever increasing number of orphans compared to the past two decades.

“So what we have are two forces of insufficient money coming in from the Government to the education sector on the one hand, and parents who themselves cannot fund education on the other.”

The Minister proposed, among a number of solutions, lessening government priority in such areas as travel and science, and channeling the money saved into high-priority sectors that include health and education.

Turning to the point of incentivizing of teachers, Sen. Coltart said it was a sad development that the profession had lost its glamour and until teachers could be adequately remunerated, incentives would stay.

However, he agreed “there has been a lot of lawlessness around the issue as many feel it has been applied in an indiscriminate way and unfair manner in many respects.

“We need to tighten up legislation regarding how incentives are raised and how they are paid to ensure that this is done fairly and in accordance with the law,” he said.