New Zimbabwe.com

1 March 2011

A GROUP of 45 human rights campaigners facing treason charges must stay in jail until their hearing next week to give prosecutors time to prepare the case against them, a magistrate ruled on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said they were not ready to present their case against the group arrested on February 19 for attending a lecture on North African anti-government protests. They are accused of plotting an Egyptian-style uprising in Zimbabwe.

The group, which includes the former Highfield MP Munyaradzi Gwisai and 11 women, says it was an academic lecture and denies wrongdoing. Treason carries a possible death sentence.

Prosecutor Edmore Nyazamba says he needs more time to prepare before the March 7 hearing.

Defence lawyer Alec Muchadehama says the suspects are not guilty and should be released immediately. Lawyers say some suspects were tortured in police custody, and accuse prison authorities of defying an earlier court ruling for them to be seen by a doctor.

The activists were watching a video of the Tunisia and Egyptian protests when Zimbabwean police stormed the room, sent them to jail, and charged them for treason.

It was the latest sign that Zimbabwe’s octogenarian President Robert Mugabe – now in his 31st year of ruling the country – is taking no chances of having a North African-style revolt.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s two former opposition parties now in a coalition with Mugabe’s Zanu PF party have accused prosecutors of abusing the court system.

Education and Sports Minister David Coltart, also the secretary for legal affairs in the Welshman Ncube-led MDC, said on Tuesday: “We are deeply concerned about the ongoing detention of the 45, along with MDC-T MP Douglas Mwonzora. It’s a total abuse of due process and we condemn it.”

Mwonzora is detained in the eastern city of Mutare, facing accusations of engaging in political violence after addressing a party meeting there a fortnight ago.

His MDC party, led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, said in a statement: “The MDC condemns the current wave of arrests of pro-democracy activists from political parties and civil society, together with artists and playwrights, for merely exercising their basic freedoms of expression and association.

“The arrests seem to have been heightened by imaginary fears emanating from events in North Africa and the Middle East. Since trouble began in Tunisia, cascading into Egypt, Libya and other parts of the Arab world, we have seen a paranoid attempt by certain sections of the state apparatus to target the MDC and its allies in civil society with intimidatory and trumped up charges.”

The latest legal and political battles came as the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Affairs, Susan Page, arrived in Zimbabwe on a four-day visit.

The United States embassy said during her visit, Page will be in Harare and also Bulawayo, meeting separately with senior government officials, representatives from the business community, and civil society leaders.

“Her visit to Zimbabwe reflects the importance the United States government places on engaging a broad array of Zimbabwean leaders to foster bilateral economic and diplomatic relations,” the US embassy said in a statement.

Express News Service India

http://expressbuzz.com

N Jagannath Das

1 March 2011

NAGPUR: Zimbabwe sports minister Senator David Coltart has criticized the International Cricket Council’s decision to reduce the teams from 14 to 10 and thereby disallowing the associate nations from playing in the 50-over World Cup in 2015. Zimbabwe’s participation is still doubtful as ICC have not yet decided on the tenth team for the edition. The nine Test countries have been guaranteed a direct entry while Zimbabwe, who no more have a Test status, may well have to play the qualifying matches.

The 53-year-old Coltart, who is here to watch the World Cup, is obviously concerned about ICC limiting the next World Cup to ten teams. “I think it is a negative move for the associate nations and also for Zimbabwe. We rely on World Cup revenues to boost our cricketing finances and also the morale of the players to keep them motivated and to have something to aim for. But by restricting the numbers, it is going to undermine cricket. It is a retrogressive action and I hope ICC will reconsider this issue,” said Coltart, who is on a maiden visit to India, in an exclusive interview to TNIE.

Coltart said he would take an opportunity to speak to ICC. “If you see what is happening in other sports, for example football, it is growing and more nations are coming into football. With this move, cricket will move backwards now,” he opined.

The ICC’s move, according to Coltart, has come at the wrong time when there is revival of the game in his country. “Do you know, cricket is the second most popular sport and it may become the most popular, as it is in India. One of the things that drives cricket to be popular is our participation in the World Cup,” he lamented, adding that it is the only World Cup where Zimbabwe participates as a nation. “We used to participate in the rugby World Cup but cricket is the only game where we get to play at the highest level.

“If Zimbabwe is denied it is going to undermine the game of cricket in the country. If you come to Zimbabwe today, in the poorest townships, you will find children playing cricket with passion. The youngsters dream they can one day compete with top teams of the world and this offers them a career path. If the World Cup is taken away, these career paths and ambitions will be severely undermined.”

Coltart is always amazed how India has embraced cricket. “It is almost like a religion here. We are not at that level. But I think cricket has become quite popular in our country. It used to be played almost exclusively by whites in the past. But it is a different story now. Blacks Zimbabweans have embraced cricket in a big way.”

A fan and friend of Andy Flower, Coltart admitted there was a tragedy in Zimbabwe cricket in the last ten years as they did not have senior cricketers to tutor and nurture the young talent. “But many of these cricketers have come back as coaches and are having an impact. I think you can see, for example, Utseya’s performance which has really picked up. He is now a world class player.”

“We are not at the level of cricket we were in 1999 when we beat India and South Africa. It will be a major upset if we beat one of the top countries. But we are definitely improving and we are much better side than 2007. We have good chance to reach the quarter-finals. This week is critical. We need to beat Kenya too. And then we must aim to beat Pakistan or New Zealand. If we can do that, then we have a good chance to go to the quarter-finals,” concludes a confident Coltart.

Financial Gazette

Monday, 28 February 2011

By Clemence Manyukwe, Political Editor

THE swearing in of ministers from both formations of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) two years ago was greeted with much expectation as Zimbabweans basked in the hope that new brooms sweep clean, a year after President Robert Mugabe had described his cabinet as the “worst in history.”

President Mugabe’s announcement was not the first as he had previously indicated that ZANU-PF ministers had let him down, hence the public’s raised anticipation when fresh brains were thrust into the deep end following nearly a decade of economic and political upheavals.

But as the country heads for fresh polls, that hope is fast fading with analysts saying even though the MDC formations’ entry into government stabilised the economy, the majority of their ministers have performed below par.

There were observations that even with the existence of funding constrains, there are measures that can carry the nation forward which could be implemented without the hindrance of financial resources.

This week, the president of the  Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Lovemore Matombo, said he had hoped that the MDC formations would collectively push government to tackle corruption, but that has not been the case, with reports of looting of state assets and resources going unpunished, besides inaction against some ministers fingered for graft.

Despite the former opposition’s efforts in stabilising the economy, Matombo lamented that it has not translated into meaningful growth to facilitate job creation to lift the majority of Zimbabweans out of unemployment.

“They have not performed to our expectations. One thing I have observed is that some of the new ministers don’t understand their responsibilities. They don’t seem to act in the best interest of the public. Look at the civil service audit issue, the minister is MDC,” said Matombo in reference to Public Service Minister, Eliphas Mukonoweshuro’s failure to make a statement on the outcome of the civil service audit that he launched in November 2009.

“Look at the Minister of Health (Henry Madzorera), he is MDC but now there is commercialisation of public health institutions like Parirenyatwa and Harare hospitals, but those who suffer are the voiceless. I am saying something that I saw personally; my relative was involved in an accident and they could not attend to him, relatives had to run around looking for money while he lay bleeding. That is an MDC minister and one would have thought he would have put certain measures (in place).”

Another analyst, Alex Magaisa said all ministers have been largely influenced by allegiances to their respective political parties, with lack of a uniform and coherent ideology and policy framework generally being the inclusive government’s Achilles Heel.

He, however, singled-out two members of the executive, Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Education Minister David Coltart for having strived to make a visible impact on the lives of Zimbabweans.

“Nevertheless, perhaps because of the strategic importance of his ministry, Tendai Biti has been the most visible and from what I have observed he has acquitted himself well given the fact that his lack of experience in matters of economic and financial management was cited as a weakness when he took up the job in 2009,” said Magaisa.

“David Coltart has quietly but effectively handled the key education ministry which is beginning to deliver some results. The education sector is critical in national development because an uneducated generation is a recipe for disaster so Coltart’s work in resuscitating that area must be commended. Those two ministers have stood out for me and have shown impressive ability to navigate the stormy waters whilst delivering discernible results that affect ordinary people’s lives.”

Magaisa said there is, however, room for improvement.

The secretary general of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Raymond Majongwe, also praised Coltart saying besides the targets he has set for himself, the minister has also brought a new dispensation in the ministry characterised by communication, consultations, engagement and dialogue with stakeholders, a development that he said was absent at the education ministry during the era of Aeneas Chigwedere and his predecessors.

Majongwe also expressed di-sappointment, with the way Mukonoweshuro has taken long to make a pronouncement on the Public Service audit saying even if he has any problems, he should come clean and not relegate the nation to guessing.

On Energy Minister, Elton Mangoma, whose ministry oversees the energy sector — fuel, electricity being critical, Majongwe said: “we need people who are hands on — outreaching.”

An analyst based at the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom, Brilliant Mhlanga, said the major drawback on the performance of ministers is their continued to bickering on positions and their constant arguments on semantics of whether there are sanctions or not.

Mhlanga described most ministers as clueless adding that they “continue tricking and tripping each other in the corridors of power without serving Zimbabweans.”

“Further, what we know is that they all seem to be celebrating the fact that Zimbabweans have been reduced to a level of thinking about the here and now; the politics of the stomach, where everyone celebrates the fact that supermarkets are no longer empty as if they are giving them enough money through salaries to buy the available commodities of it,” said the University of Westminster lecturer.

“Remember, we have Ministers like Gorden Moyo, who even went to the extent of addressing a meeting in London and telling the British that there are no sanctions when the British had even confirmed thro-ugh their foreign office that there are sanctions in Zimbabwe.

“So how do you even recognise such a minister as serving and performing exceptionally well when it is even clear that you have an ideologically bankrupt man who is merely singing for his supper?”

VOA

By Patience Rusere

Washington  28 February 2011

Union president Takavafira Zhou said that due to a rise in violence against teachers by ZANU-PF youth militia and war veterans, teachers are fed up and have decided to take action

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe has resolved to boycott classes at any school where teachers are harassed or beaten up.

PTUZ President Takavafira Zhou said that due to a rise in violence against teachers by youth militia and war veterans associated with President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF, teachers have decided enough is enough and are resolved to take action.

Zhou said his organization will be communicating the decision to Education Minister David coltart shortly. Coltart, who has previously declared the nation’s schools off-limits to political activities of the kind deployed by the PTUZ, could not be reached for comment.

Zhou told VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere that schools countrywide have become operating bases for ZANU-PF youth militia. The youth militia were closely associated with the often deadly political violence that flared during the 2008 elections.

Herald

28 February 2011

GOVERNMENT prescribed school fees of US$10 per term for primary schools is US$63 less than the cost of educating a pupil, a Cabinet Minister has said.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart said there was need to support the education sector to ensure that the high standards that were set since independence were maintained.

“It costs US$73 per term to educate a primary school pupil but we are charging US$10 in urban areas while in rural areas it is free and this means there is need for a Government subsidy of US$63,” he said.

Minister Coltart said this in Parliament on Wednesday during a question and answer session.

Mberengwa East MP, Cde Makhosini Hlongwane (Zanu-PF), had asked the minister what the Government was doing to avert school dropouts particularly in rural areas owing to high school fees.

Minister Coltart said there was need to continue to finance education.

“The inclusive government has tried to allocate money to the education sector but in real terms it has not been sufficient. We have a higher number of parents who cannot afford and we have insufficient funding and these forces are converging,” said Minister Coltart.

He said the only option that Government had was the use of BEAM, a facility that enables disadvantaged pupils to attend school at Government’s expense.

Responding to another question, Minister Coltart said while the Government might not like the payment of teachers’ incentives, they had no option since it was the only way to ensure that tutors remained in class.

The Telegraph – Calcutta

http://www.telegraphindia.com/

By Lokendra Pratap Sahi

27 February 2011

Bangalore: England’s head coach (or Team Director) Andy Flower, a former captain of Zimbabwe, spoke to The Telegraph for almost an hour at the Royal Gardenia on Saturday.

The Q&A specific to the India-England match was published on Sunday. Excerpts from the rest of the one-on-one:

Q You’ve quickly moved on from being an outstanding batsman to a hugely respected head coach…

A (Smiles) Making the transformation has been very interesting… I’ve learnt a lot about myself, a lot about coaching… All in a short span of time… I guess Gary Kirsten feels the same way.

The journey has been smooth, isn’t it?

I’ve been very lucky in the way things have panned out… This is an exciting part of my career.

What made you get into coaching in a big way?

I’ve actually been involved with coaching for a long time and, when Zimbabwe got Test status (1992), the Union paid me more as a coach than as a player… Basically, I and three others (Dave Houghton, Alistair Campbell and brother Grant) were employed as coaches, but also played… Later, I went to England and coached Oxford University and did some coaching in Holland as well, before getting associated with the England team.

Have you regarded any coach as a role model?

Not as a role model, but I’ve definitely been influenced by people… I’ve had strong influences… If you pay attention to what others are doing, then you can learn the good things as also learn from the mistakes… There are good coaches and bad and you’ve got to pick out what works and what doesn’t. I’ve been a learner and I realise that I can make as many mistakes as the next person. However, I learn from my mistakes and from the mistakes of others, so that they don’t get repeated.

Graham Gooch, whom you’ve brought on board as batting coach, has been a big influence…

Indeed, yes… Also Peter Moores, my predecessor… Moores taught me just how much planning goes into coaching… I saw the way he managed a group, the way he went about his job as England’s head coach. I’m grateful to Moores… On the technical side, I’ve learnt a lot from Gooch and Houghton… In a different way, some of Zimbabwe’s older cricketers, like John Traicos, left a big impression… The way they managed doing a job, playing and finding time for family. They were more diligent and determined than some of the professional cricketers I’ve come across.

As the head coach, is your plate full?

The clearest role that I have is to prepare the team… That done, Andrew Strauss takes it on the field… To help with the preparations, I have specialist coaches, like Gooch and David Saker (the fast bowling coach)… I look into the sports science part as well, so I have a multi-dimensional role.

But Gooch isn’t with you all the time…

He spends chunks of time with us, quite like (former ’keeper) Bruce French… I think it’s nice for players to have their own time, instead of regularly having to work with the specialist coaches. We try to get the balance right.

What about the man management bit?

It’s there… It’s impossible to have a friendly, perfect relationship with everyone, but a healthy relationship has to be there… Players are called upon to do special things under pressure and, so, they need to have a healthy relationship with those who’re there to guide them. It has to be a two-way traffic.

Is Mushtaq Ahmed’s role confined to being the spin bowling coach?

No… Mushy does more than that. He has a larger role and works with the batsmen too… His knowledge of cricket and of people comes together to work very well for us.

Moores and Kevin Pietersen didn’t get along with each other, but it’s different between you and Strauss…

Strauss and I have worked well together… We were thrown together rather fortuitously because of that (Pietersen-Moores) situation… It was a sad situation to develop… That’s in the past now… There’s mutual respect in my relationship with Strauss, who is a good cricketer and a man of strong principles, besides being a very good leader.

The roles are clearly defined?

Yes… On the field, Strauss is the boss, off it, we share responsibilities… Grey areas are there, but we find answers and get to a solution. (Adds laughing) We’re both fairly reasonable people, though I must say Strauss is quite stubborn.

What’s special about Strauss as captain?

He’s a fair and good man and, therefore, he’s respected by his players… He doesn’t shirk hard work… In fact, he embraces it and insists on that from his players… Equally, he keeps a good perspective… He knows what’s happening around the world, is well-read… It’s not that he lives in a little cocoon of cricket… The good perspective allows him to make good decisions. He’s in a better position to do so and that’s something which makes him a good leader.

Did you set yourself a goal when you took over as head coach?

My priority, initially, was to have a good relationship with Strauss and with the rest of the team… Depending on who we’re talking about, those relationships vary… Later, becoming No.1 has been the priority… Everything we do in our professional lives is, clearly, driven by that goal.

You come across as rather quiet, happy to be in the background, like Kirsten. How is it in the dressing room?

There are times when a leader, be it the captain or coach, has to draw the line and people have to understand that they can’t step over it… You don’t have to rave and rant and you don’t have to read the Riot Act… One deals with adults and, usually, there’s a better way of doing things… But, yes, there can be times and places when that might be appropriate.

What gave more satisfaction — winning the Ashes in 2009, pocketing the World T20 last year or retaining the Ashes this season?

All… I wouldn’t like to pick and choose… It’s hard to compare… However, because of the emphatic manner (all three wins by an innings), I suppose retaining the Ashes, in Australia, would rank a notch higher… I’m very proud of the team for everything we’ve achieved.

England’s rise must be putting you too under pressure to keep delivering?

There’s always the pressure of expectations, for the simple reason that we’re one of the bigger Test-playing nations… Quite rightly, we’re expected to perform on the world stage… I embrace this pressure and I’d like the players to do the same… We talk of pressure in a sporting context, but we’ve got to remember that people face pressure in many other aspects of life… They face a lot of pressure. The pressure sportsmen face should, therefore, be put in context.

How do you unwind at the end of a day of high pressure?

I like spending time with somebody from the team, perhaps a member of the coaching staff… Could be over a meal, or just coffee or beer.

Pleased that Zimbabwe will soon be back playing Test cricket?

I’m not sure of the details, so I wouldn’t like to comment, but I’ll definitely say that people like David Coltart, the sports minister, are making a tremendous effort and putting in the energy to regenerate the sport… Coltart is keeping an eye on what’s happening in cricket… Some of the cricket brains, so to say, are getting back into the sport in Zimbabwe. Combined with the natural talent of some of the youngsters, that bodes well for Zimbabwe.

Grant has gone back…

He enjoys the lifestyle in Zimbabwe and it’s great that he’s the batting coach. He had a wonderful time at Essex and learnt a lot.

The last one… Your thoughts on Kirsten?

(Smiles) I respect him tremendously… Had a lot of respect for him as a player and have a lot of respect for him as a person and as a coach… He’s an outstanding guy and I hope I haven’t embarrassed him by saying that. He’s simple in such a nice way and goes about his job quietly and with dignity… I’m aware that the India players respect him, it’s well-deserved.

Herald

26 February 2011

By Augustine Hwata

THE domestic Premiership transformed itself into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League yesterday after a marriage made in heaven with Delta Beverages that will run over three years and is worth about US$2 million in prize money.

Delta Beverages will pour US$600 000 in cash into the Premiership this year but all the costs associated with funds to be injected into the football partnership will gobble around US$1,8 million this season alone.

Winners of the 2011 Castle Lager Premier-ship title are set to get US$70 000, a massive rise from the handshake that Motor Action got for winning the title last year.

Rains that fell in Harare yesterday were just a good omen, for those who are superstitious, as Delta and the Premiership marked the rebirth of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League at a colourful ceremony at the Wild Geese leisure centre on the outskirts of the capital.

Sadly, PSL boss Twine Phiri was not part of the proceedings after being involved in a road accident in South Africa on Thursday.

Phiri, though, is recovering well and was discharged from a Johannesburg hospital yesterday and caught a flight back home last night.

Zimbabwean football had been crying for a corporate partner over the past two seasons since CBZ Holdings withdrew and yesterday the football fraternity had something to smile about when Delta were officially presented as the sponsors for the next three years.

In his keynote address at the ceremony, Delta Beverages’ chief executive Joe Mutizwa said his company was happy to return to football and they were hopeful their investment will help boost their Castle Lager brand.

“The Castle Lager Premier League sponsorship covers an initial period of three years – that is 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons.

“Thereafter, the sponsorship is subject to further renewals for a period of three years at a time.

“It is our sincere hope that the sponsorship will stand the test and be renewed again and again.

“Everything hinges on the ability of the various partners to abide by the letter and spirit of our contract to the full,” said Mutizwa.

He pointed out that the full financial impact of sponsorship, which reaches to about US$ 1,8 million this year alone, was a bigger figure than the cheque unveiled yesterday.

Delta Beverages’ marketing director, Maxen Karombo, told journalists that his company will also unveil various programmes to attract fans to the stadiums as well as promoting their products.

“The direct cash injection is US$600 000 but the total package is nearly US$1,8m with money put for promotions, media adverts and the super-fan promotions,” he said.

Delta’s sponsorship is for the league games only, but Karombo said they were not ruling out the possibility of a knockout cup like the Castle Cup in future.

“We need to take one step at a time. The opportunity for a knockout cup can come in future but we have to evaluate each step.

“The Castle Cup still remains on our menu but, for now, the focus is on the league,” said Karombo.

PSL chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele said the league will jealously guard their marriage with Delta.

“The Premier Soccer League has in the past two years been taunted as the “Premier Social League” as we had no partner.

“The lack of sponsorship affected competition.

“A league without a sponsorship is a like a man without clothes.

“The Delta branding will certainly change the image of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

“The PSL, in its marriage to Delta, has agreed to offer the following products – competitions, players, teams, passion, events, pre-and-post match activities, coaches, match officials and performance,” said Ndebele.

The PSL chief executive said as much as 15 points could be deducted from a team that takes the league to court.

Guest of Honour, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Welshman Ncube, who was representing his Education, Sport, Arts and Culture counterpart David Coltart, called on the football administrators to move away from the era of squabbles.

“Soccer is by far Zimbabwe’s number one sport with millions of supporters countrywide.

“I would like to take this opportunity to both warn and advise our sports administrators to act professionally and respect this sponsorship. The management of this relationship must be transparent,” said Ncube.

Ncube also encouraged the media to be more responsible and professional and avoid dwelling on the negative side of football as this also scared away sponsorship.

The Telegraph

By Simon Briggs

25 February 2011

The return of Zimbabwe to the international cricket stage has been a public relations triumph for its coalition government. “Cricket is a microcosm of Zimbabwe,” said David Coltart, the minister for education, sport, arts and culture.

If true, this would suggest that racial tolerance and responsible governance have resurfaced at national level, as well as within the cricket board.

The reality is more complicated. President Robert Mugabe still clings on to power, despite the appointment of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as his prime minister. Indeed, it is feared that Mugabe could reclaim his majority in the next round of elections this coming summer.

At a time when undemocratic governments are crumbling around the world, Mugabe remains the dictator’s dictator. Last weekend, a group of 52 Zimbabweans who gathered to watch a video of events in northern Africa were arrested and imprisoned, though not before one of them was thrown from a window and suffered a broken leg.

Should Zimbabwe be excluded from the World Cup on the grounds that their president is a murderous thug? Probably not, given that other countries – notably Pakistan and Sri Lanka – suffer from political intrigues and human rights abuses of their own.

Still, we should be wary of this idea that a healthier cricket team implies a healthier nation. There may be other forces at work here, not all of them benign.

It is true that the set-up in Zimbabwe has improved hugely since 2006 — the year they voluntarily relinquished their Test status.

Under the management of the admirable Coltart, it is hard to see the accounts being incinerated, or plunged into a bath, as was rumoured to have happened before the notorious KPMG investigation of March 2008, which found “serious financial irregularities”.

In recent months, a number of white players have returned to coach and play for the national team, so that Grant Flower now manages the batsmen, and Heath Streak the bowlers, while Alistair Campbell is the chairman of selectors.

The domestic game has been pepped up by the introduction of five franchises as opposed to the old Mashonaland-Matabeleland duopoly, and December’s Twenty20 competition boasted a number of overseas imports such as Jason Gillespie, Brian Lara and our own Nick Compton.

And yet, despite all these improvements, the people at the top of Zimbabwe cricket have not changed. In this respect, at least, cricket really is a microcosm of Zimbabwe, for the sport is still governed by Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute, a pair of deeply discredited plutocrats who have been accused of embezzling International Cricket Council money.

The question we should really be asking is cui bono – who benefits – from Zimbabwe’s resurrection as a cricket power?

Yes, the players can take comfort from the return of stability to their management and coaching structure, and they can surely learn from the advice of such superstars as Lara.

But the elephant in the room is the annual payment that Zimbabwe Cricket receives from the ICC.

In the last set of accounts, it stood at around US$5million. Is it any coincidence that, by investing in the national team, Chingoka and Bvute have safeguarded that income for the foreseeable future?

This may be a cynical reading of the situation. But it would seem to be shared by Henry Olonga, the fast bowler who joined Andy Flower in a brave black-armband protest at the 2003 World Cup, and who told a recent interviewer that he still doesn’t trust Zimbabwe Cricket as far as he can spit.

Yes, a successful and integrated team may provide a distraction for those unfortunate enough to live in a country where the life expectancy has dropped to below 40. But do not expect Zimbabwean sport to influence Zimbabwean politics over-much.

Look at those who took a moral stand over Zimbabwe’s repressive regime seven years ago: Olonga, Andy Flower and the England team. It is the players themselves who suffered, either by being driven out of their native land, or through elimination at the World Cup.

Mugabe once said that “cricket civilises people and creates good gentlemen”. It is a lesson that he, still the patron of Zimbabwe Cricket, appears to have forgotten.

For no matter what is happening on the cricket pitch, or even in the council-rooms of Western democracies, he just keeps batting on regardless.

Radio VOP

Friday, 25 February 2011

GUTU – Teachers here are being forced to buy Zanu (PF) membership cards by war veterans led by controversial leader Jabulani Sibanda (Pictured), the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has said.

“I went to see for myself after teachers came to our provincial office in Masvingo crying for help. The situation is extremely terrible,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said last week. “Teachers are living in fear. They have no option besides buying Zanu (PF) cards for their safety.

War veterans are moving all over the district and teachers are jostling to get the cards.”?? Sibanda refused to comment on the matter when approached by RadioVOP saying he was too busy to attend to reporters’ questions. “I have no time for journalists right now. If you want arrange a day so that I will give you a press conference rather than calling me when I am busy doing my work,” the war veterans leader said.

Zhou said his union was planning to meet Education Minister David Coltart over harassment of teachers schools mostly in rural areas. Coltart has previously called on politicians and their supporters not to turn schools into political battle grounds.