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By Lesley Moyo

19 December 2010
BULAWAYO — Makokoba reverberated to the sounds of the African drum and marimba on  Wednesday night as the township-based Ibumba International Festival kicked off full of promise.

Over 100 invited guests filled up Stanley Hall, the main venue of the festival and were captivated by the performances from Siyaya, Iyasa, Amawumbo, Ingwenyama, Kwabatsha and Tumbuka who put up a spectacular opening act.

Not to be outdone was new kid on the block, Clive, an upcoming comedian.

He left the guests in stitches and even received applause from the guest of honour, Education, Sport Arts and Culture minister, David Coltart as well as other delegates who were in attendance.

Saimon Mambazo Phiri, director of the festival was spot on in his welcome speech when he said Mokokoba was the oldest town in Bulawayo but with the latest ideas.

The festival, now in its 13th year, has brought new ideas and has shown great improvement. This year was no exception.

Coltart applauded the role played by arts in society. “In good times and also in bad times it is usually the arts industry that keeps us going,” Coltart said.

He also became the latest high- profile person to endorse Bulawayo as the heart and soul of the arts and culture in the country.

“Bulawayo is the heart and soul of art and culture in our nation, if not in southern Africa. We have an amazing amount of artistic potential in this city.
This festival reminds us to be wholehearted in our efforts in promoting artistic talent so that we can be rightly proud of our arts and culture industry,” Coltart said igniting thunderous applause from the packed Stanley Hall.

After his speech the minister, officially opened the festival by beating a tall African drum 13 times, each signalling the number of years the festival has been held.

Phiri was also honoured on the night with a lifetime achievement award in recognition of his work in promoting arts in the city.

After the opening ceremony, it was time to party with seasoned artistes in the mould of Jeys Marabini accompanied by his band Kozekulunge, Willis Wataffi Afirika and man of the moment, Winky D.

On Thursday, the Indaba Book Cafe hosted two book launches by South African-based Nomashawekazi Damasane and celebrated poet Albert Nyathi who launched his latest book Echoes from Zimbabwe, which traces the political history of Zimbabwe as seen through the poet’s eyes.

Celebrated culture expert and historian, Phathisa Nyathi congratulated the two for launching their books and sharing their experiences with the world.
“Poetry is a result of the mediation between the heart and the mind. It belongs to the heart but the mind must do the creation.

“Therefore we congratulate the two for sharing with us what is close to their hearts,” Nyathi said.

He added that poetry was the heritage of every society as it was part of the folk tradition.

The same venue also witnessed the opening of Writing with Light exhibition, which runs until the end of the festival.

On Friday morning the artistes had an opportunity to meet with the mayor of the city of Bulawayo, Thaba Moyo to discuss pertinent issues affecting the city and the arts industry.

Some of the forthcoming highlights of the festival include the comedy Nite on Saturday that will feature South African comedians Edgar Langveldt and Madluphuthu, Carl Joshua Ncube, Omkhula, Clive and Babongile Skhonjwa.

The Kwaito and Urban Grooves Nite is another major draw card to the festival.

The festival runs until Tuesday and those who will take time to attend will have a time of their life if the performances witnessed so far are anything to go by.

Newsday

18 December 2010

By Rejoice Ngwenya

The pathetic Zanu PF caravan of jocular politics never ceases to amaze me. These fellows need urgent psycho-therapy.

Do they take us for brainless buffoons? Says “a top official in the Attorney-General’s office”, according to a report on the Zimbabwe situation: “

The people of Zimbabwe should not only look up to President Robert Mugabe to take action against Mr Tsvangirai, as it is now clear to them that he committed treason and should be charged by the laws of the land and the people.

“Sanctions imposed by the West have crippled the entire economy and Mr Tsvangirai as a member of the Government and the Executive goes behind its back to ask for more sanctions that will hurt ordinary Zimbabweans, it’s unacceptable . . . ”

My prognosis is that these so-called “people of Zimbabwe” exclude the twenty thousand victims of Gukurahundi, their dependants, relatives and friends murdered by the Zanu PF-controlled Fifth Brigade in the 80s.

What about the one million homeless victims of 2005 Murambatsvina? Never mind four million Zimbabweans in exile who fled from Robert Mugabe and Gideon Gono’s 231 000 000% inflation between 2006 -2008?

Have I mentioned the five thousand “white” commercial farmers whose land was expropriated between 2000 and now, including one million farm workers and their dependants who were violently displaced?

If I were to do a research on the “lost generation” of high school and college students who have been ejected into a largely dysfunctional economy between 2000 and 2008, the statistics of trauma and idleness would be too ghastly to comprehend.

I will remind this “top official” how, between 2000 and 2008, almost two thousand MDC activists were kidnapped, killed, maimed or arrested.

Need I mention the general national trauma that we “people of Zimbabwe” have been subjected to in the last thirty years of Mugabe’s vicious and unrelenting authoritarian rule? Have we not watched with horror and dismay as Zanu PF and its cronies parcel up the country amongst their few selves, handing over large chunks of resources to the Chinese in their deficient but over-played “look East policy”?

These people have a nerve! If you want to see a decent stock of sell-outs and purveyors of treason, look no further than Zanu PF!

Another report continues on Tsvangirai: Tsholotsho North legislator Professor Jonathan Moyo said: “There are only two things that could happen in any civilised democracy, for him to resign not just from Government but public life altogether.
He must also be prosecuted for a litany of treasonous acts against the State.” I have very little to say about the professor — for most has been said — but he should know better.

In a civilised democracy (that he has written extensively on), tolerance and political competition are fundamental. Between 1980 and 2008, all our national elections have been directed by an institution and system that conveniently ignores intimidation, rigging and dishonesty.

As near as June 2008 — when the professor was an “independent” — we saw Mugabe competing against himself in a process that left a murderous trail of destruction worthy of an international court of justice’s attention.

Only a few weeks ago, journalists were incarcerated apparently for no reason other than legitimate disclosure.

Those artists like Owen Maseko who have ventured to express their political opinions are persecuted and threatened with death. So much for “civilisation”!

In a civilised democracy, public broadcasters are accessible to everyone, not just the “ruling” party. Newspapers are not bombed or banned, neither are demonstrators battered or arrested.

And so when WikiLeaks publicises what everyone else knows and agrees with, it is hard to see any treasonous thing about it.

The facts are clear: entry of MDC into national politics would always be complicated by Mugabe’s control of “military resources”.

This is why it made sense for people like Welshman Ncube, David Coltart, Nelson Chamisa, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Tendai Biti to accept and concentrate on “socio-economic” ministries.

The “real” people of Zimbabwe want education, health and jobs, not guns and bullets. When Morgan Tsvangirai or Arthur Mutambara for that matter, sit and discuss Zimbabwean politics with Americans, Germans, South Koreans and Japanese, this would hardly qualify as treason. Regime change?

Of course in a “civilised democracy”, regime change is legitimate. The late Edison Zvobgo had friends in London — like Tiny Rowland — who used to help finance Zanu PF elections.

During the liberation struggle, Nordic NGOs donated money and food to Zapu and Zanu. Didymus Mutasa has made numerous trips to China and Cuba to discuss Zimbabwe’s (or is it Zanu PF) political options.

The mere fact that these discussions have not been “wiki leaked” does not in any way absolve Zanu PF of any transgression.

How do you explain small arms shipped Nicodemously into Zimbabwe, diamonds making their way to China and riot gear from Israel without any “secret discussions”?

Therefore, I submit a humble opinion that hard evidence exists on how Zanu PF has oppressed people of Zimbabwe to almost genocide proportions — and yet no one of them has been jailed or “investigated”.

How much more treason can one do than murder twenty thousand innocent citizens in his own country?

Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Do not divert our attention with weak links. There are more important national priorities.

Democracy, good governance and freedom are universal and integral extension of modern-day civilisation

Rejoice Ngwenya is a social commentator

Newsday

17 December 2010

By Khanyile Mlotshwa

Bulawayo has amazing artistic talent that needs to be given a chance to shine, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart has said.

The minister was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 13th edition of the annual Ibumba International Arts Festival at Stanley Hall on Wednesday evening.

“Bulawayo is the heart and soul of art and culture in our nation, if not in southern Africa. We have an amazing amount of artistic potential in this city. This festival reminds us to be wholehearted in our efforts in promoting artistic talent so that we can be rightly proud of our arts and culture industry,” he said.

Coltart, who opened the festival by tapping on the traditional drum thirteen times to celebrate the festival’s 13 years, said the Ibumba Festival was a success because of the support it got from the local community in Makokoba, Bulawayo’s oldest township that over the years has become the melting pot of artistic and sport talent.

“We should not underestimate the way in which the people of Makokoba contribute to this festival: by attending shows and by sharing in the expectation. It is true that in bad times people find solace in art,” he said.

The festival’s opening ceremony was attended by among others the godfather of township theatre Cont Mhlanga, poets Albert Nyathi and Paul Damasane, musicians Sandra Ndebele and Jeys Marabini, Highlanders Football Club caretaker coach Mkhuphali Masuku, and renowned theatre veteran Walter Muparutsa.

An ensemble of Siyaya, Amawumbo, Ingwenyama, Kwabatsha and Tumbuka artists put up a splendid performance choreographed around the theme of the festival, “Live Out Loud.”

Coltart said it was important that Stanley Hall, “a historic and wonderful building,” played host to the festival.

Dating back to the pre-independence era, Stanley Hall and Stanley Square in Makokoba have been the home of legendary artists like Dorothy Masuka.

After independence it was the home of the legendary Amakhosi Theatre before it moved to the Township Square Cultural Centre at the edge of Makokoba.

“What we see here is the real way in which arts and culture can play a part in people’s lives. I want to congratulate those who persevered through the 13 painful years in our nation,” he said.

Chonicle

17 December 2010

Chronicle Reporter

THE Government will not increase school fees next year because it wants education to remain affordable to every Zimbabwean, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday.

In a telephone interview, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, said the Government would prefer a situation where schools reduced levies, which at some schools were beyond the reach of many parents.
“Our fees structure is nominal and the Government would not change that,” said Minister Coltart.
“Fees are pegged by the Government while the levies and incentives are determined by School Development Committees (SDCs) in liaison with parents and that is where most concerns have emerged.”
Minister Coltart said the Government was aware of the problems associated with the payment of levies and said his ministry would negotiate with teachers’ organisations and SDCs to have levies reduced.
“The Government allows schools to determine levies according to their different and specific circumstances and in this case incentives are also part of the levies.
“Where parents agree on the payment of levies and incentives, the Government would not intervene. However, should salaries for teachers be increased next year, we will negotiate for a reduction of levies or incentives,” he said.
The fees for Government schools are pegged at US$5 and US$10 for primary schools in high density and low-density suburbs.
Parents with children attending secondary school in high-density suburbs are paying US$10 while those in low-density areas pay US$20.
However, a number of private schools increased their fees during the course of the year by about US$50.
Christian Brothers College pupils in Bulawayo for instance pay US$1 090 while those at the Dominican Convent are parting with US$1 200.
Minister Coltart’s sentiments come on the backdrop of a fierce fight between parents and school administrators over the payment of incentives and levies.
During the course of the year teachers have been going on strike while others went on go slow, in protest over incentives.
In some schools, pupils were turned away while others were barred from attending lessons for failing to pay levies and incentives.
While a majority of parents have called for the scraping of teachers’ incentives, Minister Coltart is on record, as saying incentives would remain until teachers are offered a competitive wage.

Newsday

17 Dec 2010

By Khanyile Mlotshwa

There is a need for a victim-oriented truth commission dating back to 1965 so that Zimbabwe can address the roots of human rights problems haunting the country, in the post-independence era, MDC-M has said.

The party’s secretary for legal affairs David Coltart said the 1982-1987 Gukurahundi genocide and other post-independence human rights violations should not be looked at in isolation as there was a history dating back to Ian Smith’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965.

“Our emphasis is on that process of getting the truth. How far should we go to get the truth? I believe we should get back to 1965. You cannot look at Gukurahundi in isolation. What happened in the 1970s explains what happened in the 1980s,” he said.

Coltart said when the rebel Rhodesian Prime Minister declared independence from Britain, he sowed seeds of violence through which a number of people suffered human rights abuses.

“The Rhodesian army committed human rights abuses along with guerillas. Victims suffered at the hands of Zanla, Zipra and the Rhodesians. Going back and hearing from the victims what happened plays a big role in the process.

“We should go back to 1965 because that was the date of illegality. When Smith declared the UDI, that action sparked the violence. If we are being honest and objective, that’s when it (the commission) should start. I have always said that it was a great shame that we did not set up a commission after independence,” he said.

In the euphoria of independence in 1980, the then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe did not institute a commission into the Rhodesian era’s human rights violations electing, in what has become one of Africa’s few miracles, to, “turn guns into ploughshares”.

In contrast, while South Africa’s Nelson Mandela preached reconciliation, he instituted a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that caught some of the country’s liberation movement heroes and heroines offside. Coltart said in Zimbabwe it would be pointless to go beyond 1965 because both the victims and the perpetrators of that time are dead.

“Our position is the position of the united MDC that was agreed on in December 2004. We have not changed from that. Our party’s position on Gukurahundi is very clear. We need a truth, justice and reconciliation process. That is a long-term plan. We need a victim-oriented commission.

“There has been change in terms of the MDC-T policy. The MDC-T, according to page 37 of its 2008 election manifesto, talks of truth and justice and the granting of amnesty. We want a victim-oriented truth commission. It should not be up to any politician to determine what happened and what should happen. People who are victims should be allowed to say what happened to them. It is for victims to tell politicians what should happen regarding justice and reconciliation. MDC-T talks of amnesty, and I think that is premature. Victims may want amnesty, but it’s not for politicians to say it,” he said.

Coltart said his party was aware it was small within the matrix of Zimbabwean politics but it took its role in balancing the country’s political equation seriously.

“We are not one of the large political parties. We are not naïve. We are not under any illusions. But we have an important role to play. We would never have arrived at the Global Political Agreement (GPA) if it was not  for the role that (Welshman) Ncube and (Priscilla) Misihairabwi-Mushonga played.

The MDC-M’s Ncube, and Misihairabwi- Mushonga, were the party’s negotiators during the talks that led to the signing of the GPA in September 2008.

Newsday

16 December 2010

By Silas Nkala

Zimbabweans should give the education sector between five to six more years to fully recover, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart has said.

Coltart said although this year was the country’s best academic year in a decade, evidence was that Grade Seven results had “gone down” in some schools.

“We have had the best educational year in a decade this year. Teachers were at school attending classes. There were problems of course around teachers’ incentives.

“It is still early to say what the quality of this year’s Grade Seven results is like because we are yet to sit down and do an analysis. However what I have heard from different schools is that the results for this year have gone down. That is, however, anecdotal and not empirical.

“If that is the case, I will not be surprised because, despite the advances we have made in the past years, the education sector still remains in a fragile situation. There have been few textbooks for over a decade. It is difficult for any teacher to teach without textbooks,” he said.

Coltart likened the education sector to an aeroplane which is in free-fall after its engines have failed.

“We are just starting to get some of the engines going but that process is only beginning, we are pulling the education sector out of a nose dive but it takes time. We will start to have improvements by next year. But even next year, we should not expect too much.

“Grade Sevens who will write next year haven’t had textbooks for the last six years. It is impossible to fully make up the deficit of the last six years.

“We would see the impact in four, five, six years when the Grade Ones who are starting their education now would have had access to  textbooks from their first year at school,” he said.

Coltart said although it would take time for results to show, strides had been made in the education sector.

“If you look at the education sector, you will see in microcosm, the functionality of this government. If you go back and see where education was you will understand. Teachers were on strike, I had 90 000 teachers on strike. Examinations had not been marked by February 2009.

“When I got to the ministry, the head office building was in chaos. Lifts were not working. Toilets were not working, the stench was appalling. It was like a sewage pond. At times people take it easy and forget where we have come from,” he said.

The minister said the textbook programme has been the greatest achievement of the ministry to date.

“At the moment we are working hard. We are delivering textbooks to 700 schools a week. We are now providing textbooks at about 1:1 student-textbook ratio.

“For the first time since independence we have produced books in Nambya, Venda and Tonga. Next year we will be producing Sotho and other languages.
“The Grade Seven examinations started on time and ended on time.

“The results also came out on time, at the beginning of December. For the first time in over two decades we are reviewing our curriculum,” he said.

Chronicle

16 December 2010

By Chronicle Reporter

THE Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has engaged an education expert to review and reform the country’s curriculum.

In an interview, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart said the move was taken following a realisation that the country’s education curriculum was last reviewed in the mid-80s.

“The education curriculum was last reviewed in the mid 1980s and this review process culminated from the strategic plan document which was drafted in conjunction with various partners in the education sector,” said Minister Coltart.

He said the strategic plan was approved by the Government three months ago.

He said the ministry had seen it fit to engage academics to assist in reforming the curriculum.

“The first stage that we have to take is to engage an expert to give us advice before we start. We have engaged Professor Josiah Tlou, from Matabeleland South, a Professor of education in the United States of America on a three-month contract.

“He has been speaking to other experts in the country’s education sector to map the way forward,” said Minister Coltart.

He said the country’s curriculum had not been updated in line with technological advancements such as information technology, which he said had to be included in the new curriculum.

“Computers have applications to all subjects and this is one of the areas that has to be reviewed. Very few schools, especially in the rural areas, teach vocational oriented subjects which are very important in the education curriculum,” said Minister Coltart.

He said the new curriculum would include academic, vocational and social education as a way of widening knowledge in pupils.

“Every single subject will be reviewed and we will also look at including civic education, human rights, non-violent resolution of conflicts and domestic violence,” said Minister Coltart.

http://www.apanews.net

15 December 2010

Zimbabwe is one of two southern African countries represented at the ongoing World Black Arts Festival taking place in Dakar, the country’s ambassador to Senegal, Trudy Stevenson said in a statement issued here Thursday.

Eight Zimbabwean sculptors and painters are exhibiting various stone sculptures and paintings at the Zimbabwean embassy in Dakar and at the main festival venue at the Biscuiterie.

Stevenson said she has presented two lectures on contemporary Zimbabwean art since the festival started on December 10.

“The embassy held a very successful preview exhibition for the diplomatic community and media on 1 December,” she said.

The artists whose works are being exhibited are Lazarus Takawira, Taylor Nkomo, Thakor Patel, Lovemore Kambudzi, Virginia Chihota, Victor Fire, Gideon Gomo and Tapfuma Gutsa.

Zimbabwe’s Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart is being represented by a senior official from his ministry while the exhibitions are being coordinated by Harare’s National Gallery and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

South Africa is the other southern African country participating at the festival which ends on December 31.

Daily News

15 December 2010

HARARE – The U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles A. Ray has published his 9th book entitled Where You Come From Matters Less Than Where You Are Going.

The book is meant for young people to develop their leadership capacity.

Speaking at the Mannenberg Café in Harare during the launch on Tuesday, Ambassador Ray said.

“For you young people, the current and future leaders of Zimbabwe, I hope that this book will encourage, exhort and inspire you as you press on in the goals that you have for both yourself and your country.

I also hope that it serves as a reminder to you of the things that matter most in life — not what you do, but how you go about doing it; not who you say you are, but who you are when no one else is watching; not where you come from, but where you are going.”

The book consists of 21 short essays written by the Ambassador in 2010. Each essay is followed by questions or quotes meant to provoke discussion and debate on the issue.

Topics include, “The Important of Core Values,” “What is Justice?”, “To Serve and Protect,” and “Citizen Participation Leads to Good Governance.” Many of the essays have already been published in local media as opinion pieces or letters to the editor. The book was published by the U.S. Embassy’s Public Affairs Section and will be distributed at no cost to youth groups, libraries, schools and interested readers.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart who attended the launch had this to say on the book: “Often Ambassadors are reserved and it is hard for Zimbabweans to fully understand what makes them tick. Ambassador Ray through his writings has revealed a person who cares very deeply about the human condition and about many of the issues which confront us in Zimbabwe.

It is wonderful that he has been able to show that these problems are not unique to Zimbabwe. His wisdom that has been created in part through his wide ranging experience also provides some useful ways to resolve them.”

Newsday

By Khanyile Mlotshwa

15 December 2010

Calling for elections next year could isolate Zimbabwe from the region which has helped deliver it out of a decade-long economic, political and social problems, the MDC-M secretary for legal affairs, David Coltart, has said.

Coltart told a constituency roundtable that according to the Global Political Agreement (GPA), there were still seven issues that remained to be dealt with before the country could hold elections.

“The GPA sets out ten stages that have to take place. The reality is that we have only been through three stages and we are left with seven.

“The GPA says between the second constitutional reform stakeholders’ conference and the referendum, there is a period of five months. We are not anywhere near even holding the second stakeholders’ conference. After the referendum, there has to be two months before it (the constitution) becomes law,” he said.

Coltart said if the election was to be held next year, it would not be in compliance with the GPA.

“We will have to tear up the GPA. Professor (Welshman) Ncube (MDC secretary-general) says the earliest time we can have a referendum is June next year. That is in six months from now. I think he is being sensible. That means it’s not possible to have elections next year.

“If we have it (the election), it will be against the spirit of the GPA. The party that pushes for the election will be going against (South African) President (Jacob) Zuma and other brokers of the GPA,” he said.

The GPA was signed in September 2008 after months of protracted negotiations led by the then South African President Thabo Mbeki, and was hailed as an African solution to an African problem.

The South African President, Sadc and the African Union are the guarantors of the GPA.

Zanu PF and MDC-T have called for the holding of elections next year to dissolve the GPA, which both parties felt has become a weight on their necks.

MDC-M led by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara has insisted conditions were not conducive for the holding of the elections next year.

“One of the key constitutional question concerns the separation of powers and the electoral system to be used during elections. If we follow the Westminster system, where if a candidate wins in a constituency they become the MP, then it’s easier to hold elections early.

“However, if we have a proportional representation system or the hybrid system that Zanu PF is proposing, there is a challenge of delimiting constituencies. You can only start delimiting constituencies if you know what type of system you have,” Coltart said.

Coltart said it was worrying that at the moment there was a lot of rhetoric about the elections despite the problems that such a plebiscite would cause. “There is a lot of talk about elections next year which would be the breaking-up of the GPA. It means divorce of the parties. No one denies that elections should take place, but the questions are: are the conditions conducive for an election and is it possible to have this election and still stick to this roadmap (GPA)?

“If you speak to churches, they don’t want elections because the country is at a point where it is slowly healing. If you speak to businesspeople, Zanu PF organised a meeting with businesspeople last week, they don’t want an election,” he said.

Coltart said the inclusive government was fragile but remained the best way forward for the country and that was why the parties were sticking to it.

“It is a fragile agreement and we should not be surprised by this. In this arrangement everyone came kicking and screaming. No one wanted it but there was no option. However what is remarkable is that we are still in this marriage, 21 months on.

“Despite our reservations about this arrangement, we are now better off. Schools are now open, clinics are open, and airports are being repaired. The country is moving forward,” he said.