Herald

By Robson Sharuko in Bulawayo

28 May 2010

TO the casual observer the Micromax Trophy Tri-Series, which gets underway here at Queens this morning with Zimbabwe hosting India, is just another low-key cricket contest featuring a host nation trying to find a way back into the elite on the globe and two visiting opponents who have left their stars back home.

After all, the batting genius that the world calls a cricket god, Sachin Tendulkar, will not open the innings for the Indians today and, whenever that happens in a case where the absence is not injury-forced, the cricket family has a right to ask questions.

When that Indian team also doesn’t feature its regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, experienced spinner Harbhajan Singh and a battery of other players who have become the face of this team in the past few years, it’s natural that it takes some gloss off the side.

In some way it also has a bearing on the profile of the contest.

But then, to dismiss this tournament as another low-key event on the pregnant calendar of the world’s ultimate game of gentlemen and women, would not only be wrong but a myopic view divorced from the realities on the ground that should be key in guiding opinions.

To try and pretend that all has been well in Zimbabwe Cricket that the arrival of representative teams from India and Sri Lanka should not be cause for celebrations — especially on the home front — would be stretching the imagination too far.

Yes, Tendulkar — who gave the cricketing world a reason to smile with that incredible knock that destroyed Charles Coventry’s highest ODI score by an individual in the world — is not here and that matters for those who enjoy his class and who look to him to provide another knock for the archives.

But for Zimbabwe Cricket, given all the trials and tribulations of the past few years, the presence of an Indian team — no matter the composition — to play in an ODI series sponsored by an Indian Telecommunications Company, is a major victory.

Why?

Because this is the country that the New Zealanders, who were supposed to have been touring here at around this time, said was not a safe place to visit because the health of their players wouldn’t be guaranteed in a country they claimed was reeling from a string of horrible diseases.

Even when the assurances came that the cholera epidemic had long been contained and the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart was prepared to fly to Auckland to present the evidence, the Black Caps still found a reason to stay away.

At the height of the problems that were plaguing Zimbabwe Cricket, even South Africa decided to cut ties with the domestic game.

Now, without the money that comes from hosting touring sides, the competition that comes from playing established sides, chances are that any national cricket structure —no matter how strong — will eventually collapse.

That is why, even though the big names are missing from this tour, there is every reason why the Micromax Tri-Series should be a celebration, rather than purely an examination, of the state of Zimbabwe cricket.

When stand-in Indian skipper Suresh Raina and his Sri Lanka counterpart Tillakaratne Dilshan shared the podium with Zimbabwean captain Elton Chigumbura in a news conference here yesterday, that picture was worth more than a thousand words because it meant far more than just a media briefing.

When millions of Indians, who follow their cricket religiously, open the newspapers today and see Raina talking to the media in Zimbabwe, it will mean much more than the words that they would be reading.

It will mean that, contrary to what the Black Caps of New Zealand claimed to find a way of staying away and, in the process, squeezing life out of Zimbabwe cricket, there is still a working structure here that can enable touring teams to play the game in the best conditions possible.

Even Cricinfo, the authoritative cricket website, appears to agree that the mere fact that this tournament has gone ahead here, rather than the identity of the players in the Indian and Sri Lanka teams, is a major victory in Zimbabwe Cricket’s battle for a return to where it used to belong among the elite nations.

“By no means is this Tri-Series top-flight international cricket — it features two other teams (India and Sri Lanka) who should now be sick of playing each other, that are also too massively under par because of rested players,” said Cricinfo.

“Nonetheless, it’s being played in Zimbabwe, and that should be cause for celebration.”

Even the SuperSport crew have come from across the Limpopo and Pommie Mbangwa, who has become the face of the game’s presentation on that pay-per-view television channel after replacing Mike Haysman, has returned to his hometown for a close analysis of how far the team that he used to play for has gone in terms of its resurgence.

It’s the spin-off benefits that come from convincing the world that it’s not very safe for international teams to play cricket here that are more important, in the long-term interests of the domestic game, than the results that will come from what happens on the field.

Of course, cricket needs a fan base, as much as it needs a good player base and a battery of sponsors, for it to thrive and the people of the City of Kings need to set the tempo — beginning from this morning — to show the world that the game they thought was dying here is slowly regaining consciousness.

The fans, though, also want a winning team.

That responsibility falls on the shoulders of new skipper Chigumbura and his battalion who — on their day — can be good enough to play the best in the world in limited overs cricket but, sadly, haven’t found the mental strength to carry their form long enough for it to become an identity of their game.

The hard-hitting all-rounder took over as captain after Prosper Utseya finally called time on his term as skipper following the team’s Twenty20 World Cup Caribbean adventure where they flattered only to deceive in the Guyana rain.

“I feel honoured to have been promoted to captain my country and I’m looking forward to the challenge and hoping to make a difference with my captaincy,” he said.

“We need to start winning games. We are capable of winning games and we have done it in the past. We are playing a home and I think we have a good chance of making an impact during this Tri-Series.

“Our players have played more games now than some of the other cricketers that we will come up against and we cannot go on blaming experience anymore.”

Chigumbura’s promotion to the captaincy might have been doubtful just a month ago when new coach Alan Butcher questioned his late arrival at a training camp in the Caribbean and demanded answers.

But that is now all forgotten and the Englishman, who has been tasked to change the fortunes of Zimbabwe cricket at a time when a Zimbabwean Andy Flower is coaching the English team, is confident that the stage has been set for the domestic game to find its feet and compete with the best again.

During the tour of the Caribbean, on those low and slow pitches, the Zimbabweans could trouble their opponents, including an Australian team that ultimately reached the final, and a Pakistan side unlucky to lose in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup, with their variety of spinners.

On the tracks back home, starting at Queens today, where the wickets are likely to offer bounce and suit the pace bowlers more than what happened in their Caribbean adventure, they need more than the spinners and the lack of genuine pace to keep the pressure in this Zimbabwean team has been a cause for concern.

Chris Mpofu is useful, on his day, but it’s the consistency that is lacking.

Andy Blignaut, back on his home turf and with his focus back on his national duty, might remember that day when he took on the might of the Aussies here at Queens during a World Cup game and his bat gave the home fans reason to believe before Brett Lee and company destroyed those hopes.

His all-round abilities bring substance to this Zimbabwean team although, after a long lay-off from the trenches of the game at this level, it would be difficult for him to quickly ease into the groove. The runs should be guaranteed, on our day, from opener Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Vusi Sibanda, right down the order but, as Chigumbura rightly says, the key is producing the good performance when it matters and on regular occasions.

There is a very good chance that these battles will be close but, with the administrators having won a big boardroom battle by just making sure that the Indians and the Sri Lankans toured this country, the challenge is now on the coach and his players to also win their battle on the pitch.

Zimbabwe Telegraph

By Tapiwa Makore

May 26, 2010

HARARE – The Zimbabwe National Students Union today joined the Zimbabwe High Schools Students Union (ZIHISSU)in protesting against the astronomically high fees being levied both in high schools and tertiary institutions.

Addressing scores of students at the Ministry of Education Sports Arts and Culture head offices at the Ambassador House today the ZIHISSU President Cde Kudakwashe Munemo castigated Minister David Coltart’s due date on examination fees saying it was a gross violation of the African child’s rights and a clear negation of responsibility by the ministry as well as the government.

President Munemo also emphasised on the ministry’s insincerity in dealing with students issues saying time has come that Zimbabwe’s top government officials should desist from making empty rally rhetoric to appease and silence the voice of desperate students.

President Munemo also castigated the Ministry of Higher Education for denying students their 2009 examination results as well as barring thousands of students at the University of Zimbabwe, Great Zimbabwe University as well as the Midlands State University from sitting for their end of semester because they constitute the poor of the nation.

Also speaking at the gathering was the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)acting Education and Research secretary Noel Gotora who reminded the gathered students of the Sharpeville massacre and the strength of the students if united by a common purpose.

Cde Gotora told representatives of the Education Sports Arts and Culture that the two ministries of education can never locate justifications and logic for imposing such education denying fees structures to the same students whose parents are civil servants and are earning paltry salaries of US$120 per month.

The ZIHUSSU delegation later received audience from representatives of Minister David Coltart who promised to look into the matter with urgency, however the ZIHISSU President emphasised that the Union shall not relax because they had been granted some charming promises fearing that the words might turn out to be kisses of the enemy designed to appease the Union into submission.

ZINASU shall struggle shoulder to shoulder with all the poor sons and daughters of Zimbabwe whose quest for knowledge is facing sombre threats from the government’s empty neo-liberal polices.

ZINASU is committed to fight at all levels to ensure that the right to education is realised by all as dictated by the Universal Declaration of Human rights and all other declarations on education.

We salute these young brave sons and daughters of Zimbabwe who demonstrated in the streets of Zimbabwe today.

New Zimbabwe.com

By Dinizulu Macaphulana

25th May 2010

THE line can be very thin between an astute political observer and a conspiracy theorist. It can even be thinner in a slippery and tricky scenario like the Zimbabwean political situation where prospects of democracy are as much in danger from the ruling tyrannical regime as they are from those who promise Zimbabweans “democratic change”.

I posit in this short instalment to forgive entirely the two types of MDC-T apologists who littered my inbox with complaints and threats, after New Zimbabwe.com published my short piece on “The curse of UK’s men in Harare”.

I will divide the protesters into two: the innocent, and the painfully ignorant. I was labelled at best “a rabid Tsvangirai hater who must shut up” and at worst “an idling conspiracy theorist without a scar from the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe”. All I had done was point out that Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai are not opposition to each other but opposame, and that both of them are pawns on the chessboard of the British political and economic elite.

Besides the forgiveness that I deliver with love, I would like to seize with gratitude the challenge to state exactly why I believe that the MDC-T are unequal to the important task of unseating Zanu PF, and that they are neither equipped with the “software” nor the “hardware” that is needed to consign Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF to where they belong — in the blistering incinerators of the garbage of Zimbabwean politics and history.

I also would like to argue and supply the reasons that actually if Zimbabweans and all those around the globe who care about the economic and political happiness of Zimbabweans do not act with urgency, MDC-T will continue to delay the arrival of democratic change in Zimbabwe, ironically.

First, I must admit that “Morgan is more” as his apologists are fond of reminding us, and so many Zimbabweans believe and trust that he will deliver democracy to Zimbabwe one day soon. As much, I must warn that while he is more, he is not enough to remove Mugabe from power because the most important political decisions that he makes, and steps that he takes, he is advised by Mugabe. This is not one conspiracy antic.

When Tsvangirai fled Zimbabwe before the unfortunate June 29 presidential run-off election which Mugabe force-won with violence and threats of war, and which Tsvangirai most unwisely boycotted, he told the whole world that some members of the Central Intelligence Organisation advised him to flee Zimbabwe because Mugabe planned to kill him. Now, dear reader, do you need Nicollo Machiavelli or Dinizulu Macaphulana to point out that Tsvangirai fled the country and eventually boycotted the election on the advice of Mugabe who remained behind forcing a victory that has made him the president of Zimbabwe once more?

At the serious risk of being branded a conspiracy theorist, I insist that an imagined democratic movement that swallows without chewing contaminated intelligence advice from double-dealing agents of the dictatorship that it seeks to unseat will not deliver political change in any country anywhere under the sun, late alone in Zimbabwe where politics is still a dirty game.

Secondly, MDC-T have needlessly and most disappointingly failed to convince Africa, most of whose countries fought liberation wars, that they are an African political movement that respects the history and legacy of Africans against colonialism.

To pick a fresh example, MDC-T information chief, the innocent Nelson Chamisa, described Roy Bennett as “an angel” that Mugabe has been persecuting. Let me branch a little and remind you of a statement that was made by the sober David Coltart that people like him and Roy Bennet who served in the brutal Rhodesian forces must be grateful beneficiaries of the reconciliation and forgiveness that the common people of Zimbabwe have granted them to the point of voting them into political office, despite the well-documented atrocities and monstrosities of the Rhodesian regime.

Going back to my argument, it is fair and fine to forgive Bennet and his likes, but to innocently ignore  history and see an “angel” in him is politicidal and very silly to be polite. But this exemplifies the political silliness of MDC-T who have made Alec Goosen and Roy Bennet the faces of their organisation, which has now nauseated the SADC and the African Union who would rather keep the embarrassing Mugabe than embrace what Malema calls “mickey mouse” politicians who show no iota of African historical knowledge or memory.

In short, MDC-T have long lost the information war to Zanu PF in Africa, and many African populations and organisations still unfortunately believe that Mugabe is a genuine Pan-Africanist.

The Chamisas of this world have done nothing to undress Mugabe and expose him as the genocidal tyrant that he is before Africa, but have concentrated on composing pointless poetry and coining silly insults that neither change hearts nor touch African minds but instead provide western imperialists with comic relief.

In short, I would like to ask the question that Thabo Mbeki asked Tendai Biti: in the remote possibility that MDC-T assume power in Zimbabwe, whose neighbours are they going to be, South Africa, Angola, Namibia or Britain and America?

Thirdly, I think Tsvangirai is not a leader in the true meaning of the word, but a manager – an apology of a manager for that matter. Leaders are personalities that exude compelling influence within their organizations, inspire action, champion visions that make unpopular decisions popular and grow the organisations in unity. Leaders are men and women in charge and in control. Conversely, managers are maintainers of the status quo who in a hot political scenario can easily be mistaken for clueless and visionless placeholders who cannot lead revolutions but maintain tyranny.

Everyone who is familiar with Zimbabwean politics knows that Zanu PF has three factions — one led by Mugabe himself, the other by Solomon Mujuru and a third by Emerson Mnangagwa.

Mugabe, to his credit, has made sure that all these factions report to him and catch the flu when he coughs. Mugabe commands these factions so emphatically that at the last Zanu PF congress where he was expected to be ejected, Mujuru held the microphone when Mnangagwa spoke.

On the other hand, Tsvangirai had the MDC suffer a debilitating split and various factions in his party openly defy him. He has also failed to master enough political masonry to attract away from Zanu PF any one of the factions, including the fired Dinyane operatives who have now all gone back to strengthen Zanu PF while MDC-T grows weaker by the hour. This makes Tsvagirai’s chances of outpacing Mugabe in the political leadership of Zimbabwe very narrow indeed.

A fourth point is that it is clear that Tsvangirai and the MDC-T have fallen for Mugabe’s trap of pushing them into confirming themselves as an organisation that is allergic and inimical, if not contemptuous of Zimbabwe’s historical and national values and ideals.

When Arthur Mutambara came and announced that “we are the new ZIPRA and ZANLA, and we stand on the shoulders” of the nationalist of yesteryear, MDC-T simplistically and with their typical unsophisticated analysis, judged him as a Mugabe parrot. Yet what Mutambara was trying to do was to wrest away from Mugabe the monopolisation of the Zimbabwean nationalist and patriotic legacy and label.

The MDCT have unwisely sold an unfortunate sentimentality to the youths of Zimbabwe that nationalist and patriotic language is Zanu PF language, that the national anthem is a Zanu PF slogan and that the national flag is Zanu PF regalia, which is sad because the Zimbabwean nation with its historical nationalist legacy and pride must exist beyond Mugabe and Zanu PF.

In fact a political party that will topple Zanu PF must first expose the falsehood of Zanu PF in its commitment to Zimbabwean national values, in short, in terms of political analysis and understanding MDC-T are a big apology and if left unchecked they will nationalise ignorance and popularize poverty of thought!

The above, dear readers are but a few of my reasons why I believe the MDC-T in Zimbabwe are actually a movement of delayed change. The comrades neither have the “software” nor the “hardware” to remove Mugabe and Zanu PF from power.

Call it hating Tsvangirai, call it conspiracy theorisation, the truth is written on the wall: Mugabe will not go by Tsvangirai and the MDC-T because while Zanu PF are playing rugby, the MDC-T are happy to play netball. In totality, Zanu PF is very safe in power with MDC-T as their opposition.

And dear reader, Mugabe’s recent invitation of Iranian President Ahmadinejad to officially open the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair is a clear political statement that announces what is in store for the clueless MDC-T in the coming elections. Zimbabweans will have to wait longer for political change while Tsvangirai and the MDC-T learn slowly.

Dinizulu Macaphulana is a Zimbabwean student based in Lesotho. He is contactable on e-mail: macapulana@yahoo.com

Herald

25 May 2010

Harare — President Mugabe will today light a symbolic flame to commemorate the African Year of Peace and Sport as part of Africa Day celebrations.

In a statement yesterday, the Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Micheck Sibanda invited Ministers, senior Government officials, Members of Parliament, commissioners of all statutory bodies, the diplomatic corps, and church, business and youth leaders to the celebrations that start at Rainbow Towers at 10am.

In an interview yesterday, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart called for unity for development.

The Africa Day theme is “Building and Sustaining Peace through Sports”.

Africa Day is celebrated annually to mark the formation of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) by 32 independent states on May 25, 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“As we commemorate Africa Day, we have to remember to promote peace and stability in the country. “Sport is a powerful unifier because it has the power to transcend partisanship within a country. “For instance in South Africa the 1995 Rugby World Cup unified South Africans and former President Nelson Mandela played a significant role in promoting co-existence.”Zimbabweans also showed that sport transcends political affiliations when our national soccer team won the Cosafa tournament last year,” Minister Coltart said.

Minister Coltart said it was important for Zimbabwe to demonstrate solidarity with South Africa during the forthcoming 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup.

In a statement, African Union chair Dr Jean Ping said: “The choice of this theme gives full meaning to the event, as it highlights our resolve to make all possible efforts in order to fulfil the vision of Africa towards peaceful co-existence, integration, prosperity and proactiveness on the global scene.

“It further marks a strong and symbolic moment in the history of our continent, as it has brought to the limelight the power of sports and its contribution to peace and social cohesion.”

Zimbabwean

Herald

21 May 2010

By Herald Reporter

There will be no reprieve for November 2010 public examinations candidates who fail to beat their schools’ registration deadlines, a Cabinet Minister has said.

In an interview yesterday, Education, Sports, Art and Culture Minister David Coltart said schools had the right to set their own deadlines for administrative purposes ahead of the Zimsec registration cut-off date. Many schools have set today as their deadline. The Zimsec deadline is May 28 and schools should have submitted their candidate lists by then.

Parents and guardians have said they are waiting for their May salaries and hence cannot meet the schools’ deadlines.

Registration fees are US$10 and US$20 per subject for Ordinary and Advanced Level exams respectively.

“Government cannot always extend deadlines because Zimsec has other administrative issues to attend to for the smooth flowing of the whole examination process. “There is need to harmonise internal and examination body deadlines as continuous extensions would cause administrative hiccups,” Minister Coltart said. He said parents should not always rely on Government for assistance.

“We gave parents a lengthy period but the problem is that many parents are disorganised and just wait for assistance. Government cannot mother everyone,” he said.

Schools such as Prince Edward in Harare are charging more per subject than the Zimsec fees.

Minister Coltart said the Basic Education Assistance Module would be extended to cover as many candidates from poor backgrounds as possible.

“Government will assist those students who fail to register because of poverty. The selection process will be done with the help of school and social welfare authorities,” he said.

Schools polled yesterday made it clear that they would not be extending their deadlines.

“This is the only way we can ensure the process sails through. It is sad but we have to make progress,” said a teacher at Girls High School.

Authorities at Dzivarasekwa High and Kuwadzana 2 High schools reiterated the same sentiments.

However, a teacher at Marikopo Secondary School in Seke said the situation was dire in rural areas.

IRIN

20 May 2010

BULAWAYO – Siphiso Nyoni, 15, races home when the final bell rings at Luveve High School in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city because she shares an accounts textbook with five other classmates and needs to get her homework done as soon as possible.

“You are sometimes forced to rush through the assignment and in the process make silly mistakes because someone is waiting to take her turn using the same textbook,” she told IRIN.

Zimbabwe’s ailing education system, once a model for sub-Saharan Africa, buckled under the economic and political crises of the past decade, when widespread food shortages, hyperinflation, cholera outbreaks and an almost year-long strike by teachers in 2008 led to a dramatic decline in the standard of learning and the near total collapse of the system.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) noted that public financing of the sector had also fallen significantly, leaving most schools with no funds to purchase even the most basic teaching materials like books and stationery. “We have to make do with what is available because the school cannot provide enough textbooks,” Nyoni said.

In January 2010 the Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture put the ratio of text books to pupils at about one to 10, but teachers in the capital, Harare, have reported instances of 40 pupils sharing one text book at some schools.

“It is difficult to teach and motivate pupils when a whole class has to share five textbooks,” said Aquillina Dhliwayo, the accounts teacher at Luveve High. The school devised a scheme in which pupils living in the same neighbourhood were put into clusters so they could share textbooks more easily.

However, juggling textbooks and homework might soon come to an end. UNICEF has provided over US$50 million, with which David Coltart, the Education Sport and Culture Minister, said his ministry aimed to improve the pupil-textbook ratio to 1:1 by the end of the year.

“The teams will have to meet teachers, parents, and members of the school development association to hear their concerns on issues affecting education delivery,” Coltart told IRIN. “We hope to complete the task by the end of June.”

Herald

By Felex Share

20 May 2010

Harare — Some schools have unilaterally increased fees for Ordinary and Advanced Levels public examinations. Parents with children attending mainly former Group A schools described the move as a form of fundraising by the school authorities. The Government had set US$10 as the fee for a single O-Level subject and US$20 per subject at A-Level. The fees for practical subjects at both levels were pegged at US$15. But some schools are charging between US$2 and US$15 extra per subject.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Mini-ster David Coltart yesterday said only the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council had the authority to set examination fees and anything outside that was “extortion”.

Minister Coltart said Government would take stern measures against the schools.

“This is surprising because there is a universal fee which is set by Zimsec. One cannot just raise the examination fees willy-nilly, this is equivalent to extortion and this has to come to an end forthwith.

“Only levies should be set by school authorities but again following the stipulated guidelines of agreeing with parents,” he said.

Prince Edward High School is charging US$12 per O-Level subject instead of the stipulated US$10.

The school is asking for US$18 from candidates doing practical subjects, US$3 above the official US$15.

A-Level students are being asked to pay US$24 per subject instead of US$20 while candidates writing practical subjects are paying US$30 instead of US$15.

Prince Edward deputy headmaster Mr Never Mupupuri declined to comment referring all questions to the school head, Mr Kevin Atkinson, who could not be reached.

However, a senior teacher at the school confirmed the school had increased the examination fees to buy stationery and other materials needed for the exams.

“The move is justified because Zimsec just states the amount for practicals but does not provide you with anything to use so this amount includes stationery and other materials required during the examinations. “This is the only way the school can ensure the smooth handling of the examinations,” said the teacher.

Apparently, Zimsec provides question papers and answer sheets for the candidates and students bring their own pens and rulers.

Parents yesterday blasted the school authorities saying they were “milking” them. “We are even failing to pay the actual examination fees let alone school fees and someone just demands extra payment from us. Where will the money come from?” said one parent.

Others called on the Government to intervene. “This is daylight robbery and the responsible authorities should intervene to save us. Are they the only school facing the so-called administrative costs?” asked another parent.

The examination fee hike comes at a time when thousands of prospective candidates might fail to sit for the examinations after some schools set tomorrow as the registration deadline saying they wanted to collate data before submitting them to Zimsec next Friday.

May 28 is the Government-stipulated deadline.

Some schools are reportedly transferring examination money into levy accounts if a student tries to register without meeting other dues.

Although the regulations state that schools have a right to announce deadlines as long as they did not prejudice candidates, parents have complained that they did not have sufficient time to raise the fees.

Last year, thousands of prospective candidates failed to register citing “exorbitant fees”.