Zimbabwean
Written by Grace Chirumanzu
Friday, 26 February 2010

To many a basketball fan the raging feud between Basketball Union of Zimbabwe (BUZ) chairman Addison Chiware and one of the local game’s powerbrokers, Roderick Takawira, might appear fuelled more by a clash of personalities than issues pertinent to the game.

But in an interview last week with The Zimbabwean on Sunday’s Grace Chirumanzu, Takawira maintained that at stake in his wrangle with Chiware was the future of the national game itself. Takawira insisted that bad governance at the national union was the root cause of his quarrel with Chiware.

Excerpts:

Grace Chirumanzu (GC): A big concern for both teams is whether their players are eligible for inclusion in national sides and whether they can take part in international matches but the teams in your league appear not to have been swayed by these considerations. To what do you attribute this unwavering support by the teams?

Roderick Takawira (RT): We have gone to great lengths to advise teams in our league with aspirations to play in the BUZ league and players wanting to turn out for the national teams that we are not going to stand in their way. But basketball cannot continue to be run like a “tuck-shop,” only good governance and transparency will translate to better basketball for all. It may be more enticing for the younger players who feel they may be losing out by not participating in these competitions; but it would be like taking a painkiller for a broken leg to get temporal relief which does not fix the fracture which is the cause of the pain. There are claims that basketball has improved since the current BUZ committee took over about six years ago? But this is not supported by the facts on the ground.

GC: What exactly do you mean?

RT: There is a difference between playing more international matches and playing competitively in those matches. We have more international games played by Zimbabwean teams but if one asks the question which team in Zimbabwe has significantly improved from participating in these internationals? Not one!
In fact, Zimbabwe now has only two provinces playing basketball as opposed to five back in the days when (Bobby) Chivaviro, (Admire) Masenda and Andrews were BUZ chairmen. The national teams selected from these provinces used to compete very favourably against the regional teams. Countries like Zambia and South Africa were no match. Zimbabwe could give Mozambique and Angola a run for their money. In the 1995 All Africa Games, Zimbabwe lost to a full strength Angola by 12 points. That is the best performance by any Zimbabwean team ever against Angola. Now our national teams are just whipping boys; we even struggle against Zambia and we are no match to South Africa.

GC: The Sports and Recreation Commission and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee recognise the Chiware-led BUZ committee which in turn does not recognise your league, a situation that clearly should make your league less appealing to players and teams but this is not quite the case because you still have good teams playing in your, why?

RT: It maybe that the teams have noted that if they allow this slide to continue Zimbabwe basketball will become a joke and our teams will continue to be nothing more than tourists on regional shopping trips. I believe the teams have stayed (with us) so far because they recognise the need to take a stand against bad governance and lack of transparency and go back to basics to fix the fundamentals that will make this sport successful. I am sure there are many teams in our league that would like to play in the club championships and have their players in the national team, but not with the current set up at the national level. Former Gunners Football Club coach Moses Chunga clearly said if Zimbabwe is going to send any national team for any international matches, it must be a team that comprises the cream of the country with good preparation. Cream means any Zimbabwean endowed with great skills, so BUZ should not blackmail players with threats of exclusion. It is unacceptable in any sport and the powers that be must take a stand against anyone and any sport that uses blackmail to win support.

GC: In your view what needs to be done tackle the problem of bad governance in basketball?

RT: It is up to the minister of sport, David Coltart, to look at the situation and issues in basketball and take measures to bring the sport back to normal. He needs to find out how a national association (BUZ) can go for six years without (ever producing audited accounts for a single year)? How one man can be coaching virtually all the national teams? How an AGM is conducted with representatives from provinces where there is no basketball?

GC: What do you say to suggestions that you and Magezah (Gilchrest of the other league) should to sit down and iron out your differences for the sake of the game?

RT: It is important that you understand that Magezah has never been the problem at all, only a result of it. The problem of basketball is the current BUZ. When you focus on Magezah you turn away from the problem and invariably from where the solution lies. For basketball to survive and flourish once again it is important that we fix the fundamental problems. The issues of good governance and transparency will erode the soul of a sport. You can go and unite the leagues but you will be further from fixing the problem that bedevils basketball.

Zimbabwe Independent
By Bernard Mpofu
25 February 2010

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates could soon be called in to mediate on the emerging gulf that is dividing Zimbabwe’s inclusive government.

Cabinet ministers and some government bureaucrats seem to be now divided. But this time it is not on outstanding issues of the global political agreement the pact that formed the government currently running Zimbabwe.

Instead new media platforms developing at breakneck pace have separated President Robert Mugabe’s mixed bag of ministers — those with technological savvy and the techno-phobes.

For some cabinet ministers clicking is more synonymous with humming along to Motown tunes than using a mouse. With the same click, others are browsing music of days gone by on YouTube.

An observation by the Zimbabwe Independent this week shows that most senior cabinet ministers seem reluctant to be part of new social media, which could be critical in interaction with their various constituencies.

Ironically, this development emerges at a time when the Office of the President and Cabinet presented an e-Learning package as a birthday gift to Mugabe who turned 86 last Sunday.

The gift, according to the office, was in recognition of Mugabe’s efforts to equip rural schools with computers while some of his lieutenants still dread using the seemingly alien machines.

Thanks to the “oath of secrecy” taken by civil servants we could not compile the list of ministers who still write speeches in longhand. A cursory view of how government officials often make presentations at seminars paints a picture of computer usage in central government.

The use of e-mail is still limited in cabinet despite its numerous advantages. Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, Education minister David Coltart, Finance minister Tendai Biti, Tourism minister Walter Mzembi, Industry and Commerce minister Welshman Ncube and Information Communication Technology minister Nelson Chamisa are among some of the ministers using social media like Facebook.

On the other hand, ministers that are either “secretive” or yet to catch up with the new trend include Media, Information and Publicity minister Webster Shamu, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, National Housing and Social Amenities minister Fidelis Mhashu, Lands minister Herbert Murerwa, Defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere. Economic Planning minister Elton Mangoma and Small and Medium Enterprises minister Sithembiso Nyoni both have e-mail addresses but have not become part of social media like Linkedin or Facebook.

Typical of this new media, some cabinet ministers also have “imposters” on the Web.

A Facebook search of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa profiles different personalities not linked to the two. Perhaps this justifies why some ministers are sceptical in using the interactive media.

Mzembi says he is an avid user of social media. For him social networking through twitter, Xing, flickr and StudiVZ can achieve both his government and political goals.
“I have 1 000 fans offering me advice on tourism plans,” Mzembi said. “I’m enjoying it (Facebook). I no longer gather people under a tree every week. We can network through dot.com.”

On fears of the new media, the Zanu PF Masvingo South MP said: “I’m told they have a downside but I’m yet to see them.”

Chamisa this week launched a four-year ICT strategic plan. He confirmed that ICT literacy continues to be a challenge both within and outside government.
He said his ministry would however transform society to “digital citizens”. Government, Chamisa said, would this year contribute to ICT proficiency by assisting government ministries and departments “upgrade their capacities and skills by 20% annually”.

On electronic governance (e-governance) which entails the use of new media in running government business, the ICT minister said government would “develop and implement functional websites with communication portals for each ministry by June 2010”.

Websites for some government departments and parastatals were last updated more than four years ago.

“The ICT revolution is the only revolution that is being led by young people,” Chamisa said. “All the others like the agrarian were led by the old. But this one is being led by the young ones.”

These are his words for those not on social media: “If you are not on Facebook, Twitter, an email address and YouTube, then you don’t exist.”

With 50% of Zimbabwe’s fixed lines in Harare alone and 3G technology operating only in urban centres, it could take a while before internet density spreads to the rural areas.

Government, according to the policy document, aims to develop broad-band fibre optic links to all major cities and towns by December 2014.

The ICT ministry has also set a target of 10% growth in teledensity each year.

Zimbabwe Open University professor Gabriel Kabanda contends that economic growth is linked to ICT world. He cited the economic growth of India as being driven by new technologies.

The Herald
25 Feb 2010
Herald Reporter

Government will, in the next four months, distribute some 10 million textbooks to primary schools countrywide, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart has said.

He said the programme is expected to ease shortages of reading materials in schools.

Accepting 17 000 lap-desks worth US$240 000 donated to Zimbabwe by the Australian government at Blackfordby Primary School in Harare yesterday, Minister Coltart said the programme will subsequently spread to secondary schools.

He said Government, through its partners, had raised US$30 million for the project and was in the process of finalising contracts with local printers.

“Many schools do not have enough textbooks and with this programme we look forward to reducing the student-book ratio from the current 17 students per book to 1:1 or 1:2,” he said.

One hundred and seventeen schools will receive the lap-desks with some having already received the desks.

Lap-desks are small, portable desks that fit on a student’s lap whether they are seated on a bench, chair or on the floor.

The platform is wide enough to accommodate a textbook and a writing pad or notebook.

The desks, made of plastic materials, are relatively cheaper compared to conventional desks.

They are believed to be the solution to the unavailability of furniture in rural and farm schools.

Minister Coltart welcomed the gesture by the Australian government.

Australian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr John Courtney said his country would offer assistance in areas such as food security, water and sanitation and education.

He said Australia has contributed US$1,8 million to the Education Transition Fund being run by Unicef for textbooks, teaching equipment and stationery for primary school children.

Lap-desk Company country representative Mr Munyaradzi Javangwe said his company had noted that infrastructure and resources at Government and private schools were overstretched.

He said his company would play its part in improving the quality of education in Zimbabwe.

Swimming sensation Kirsty Coventry, the Lap-desk Company country ambassador, also attended the handover ceremony.

Global Security Institute
www.gsinstitute.org
23 February 2010

The Global Security Institute and Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament extend their most heartfelt congratulations to PNND Friend Laura Chinchilla for her successful election to the Presidency of Costa Rica.

GSI and PNND have worked closely with Costa Rican leadership in San José and in international fora on a number of initiatives in which Costa Rica has taken a lead role, includingdisarmament for development and the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s five point plan for nuclear disarmament. We are honored to have outgoing President Oscar Arías on the Advisory Board of GSI, and leading parliamentarian Edine von Herold on the PNND Global Council to advise and assist us in this collaboration.
PNND Global Coordinator Alyn Ware was in San José recently for meetings with President Arías, Ms. Chinchilla and other parliamentarians on furthering such initiatives. We are elated that PNND Member Laura Chinchilla will become Costa Rica’s first female head of state. We are confident that she will continue to strengthen Costa Rica’s important leadership in advancing our shared goals of a more peaceful, sustainable security for us all.

With over 700 members in more than 70 countries, the network of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament continues to grow in size and impact. Over a dozen of our members hold cabinet positions. These include:

Australia:
Peter Garret, Minister for the Environment
Warren Snowden, Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health, Associate Minister for Defense
Julia Gillard, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Education
Robert McLelland, Attorney-General

Finland:
Anni Sinnemaki, Minister of Labour

Ireland:
John Gormley, Minister for the Environment

Netherlands:
Bert Koenders, Minister for Development Cooperation

Norway:
Kristin Halvorsen, Minister of Education (former Minister of Finance)
Auden Lysbakken, Minister of Children and Equality

Japan:
Katsuya Okada, Foreign Minister
Mizuho Fukushima, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Social Affairs and Gender Equality

New Zealand:
Georgina te Heuheu, Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control
Nick Smith, Minister for the Environment

Scotland:
Keith Brown, Minister for Lifelong Learning

Uruguay:
Felipe Michelini, Minister of Education

Zimbabwe:
David Coltart, Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture (PNND Global Council member)

We have also had a number of other cabinet ministers participate in our events, including our annual assembly, and who continue to engage in our organization but who have not officially joined as members. These include the Defence Ministers of Norway and Canada.

In addition, there are a number of PNND members who serve as chairs or deputy-chairs of the foreign affairs and/or defence committees in their parliaments, including in Italy, Germany, Japan, New Zealand and Portugal.

The Chronicle
By Qhubani Moyo
22nd February 2010

THERE has been a lot of hullaballoo and noise emanating from the MDC-T circles regarding what they term a deadlock in the Global Political Agreement negotiations.
The noise arises from their belief that Zanu-PF is being insincere in the talks as it is said to be dodging the fulfilment of some issues that have already been agreed on.
Part of the key demands that form the basis of the alleged deadlock are around the delayed appointment of provincial governors, the continued occupation of office by the Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono, the Attorney General Mr Johannes Tomana and what they term the alleged persecution of their treasurer-general Mr Roy Bennett.

In the MDC-T circles these issues are so important that if they are not resolved all the gains made in the GPA so far can be kicked out of the window and a fresh election called in the shortest possible time. But given the current Zanu-PF position that there would be no further concessions until the sanctions are removed and the current extension of the sanctions by the European Union for another year, it is apparently becoming clearer that the negotiations will indeed be protracted.
The Zanu-PF loud calls that the MDC-T should take the lead in the calling for the removal of sanctions seem to be falling on deaf ears as the MDC-T has chosen to conveniently call these restrictive measures.

While in the past, the sanctions have been viewed by many as a Zanu-PF campaign gimmick, that perception has changed after the current pronouncements by Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Miliband that the sanctions are indeed in existence and that they can only be removed after a thumbs up from MDC-T.
However Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his crew have continued to conveniently call these devastating sanctions as mere restrictive measures in a bid to water down their impact.

PM Tsvangirai can of cause be forgiven for not knowing that sanctions are by their nature restrictive measures because it is public knowledge that the good prime minister is a certified academic dwarf. But when the same statement is parroted by Mr Gorden Moyo, the Minister of State in his office (who in real terms is a mere personal assistant), the public gets worried because he has at least seen the doors of a university and has two degrees up his sleeves.

Mr Moyo, in a typical fashion that has become synonymous with unelected public officials singing for their supper has been making all sorts of claims about the non-existence of sanctions when it is clear for all to see, including children, that they have become the biggest stumbling block to our way forward.

When the enlightened like Mr Moyo, who are supposed to be the torch-bearers in the understanding of international affairs become purveyors of such misleading rhetoric for the sake of protecting their positions that came as Christmas presents, the public gets concerned on their ability to hold public offices. Maybe this explains the 100 or so votes that Mr Moyo, as a Zapu candidate got against Mr David Coltart’s 23 000 or so in Bulawayo South in the 2000 parliamentary elections. His current defence of his appointed position is therefore not surprising given that he knows that he has no electoral stamina. Matabeleland definitely deserves better representation than boot-lickers.

The impasse in the negotiations and the call for an election by MDC-T raises a lot of questions as to whether this was a well thought-out decision given the political questions like the one confronting us can never be solved by an election but only by negotiations.

Also it is important that the MDC-T people know that negotiations are taxing and can be prolonged and that you don’t get everything you want — it is a trade off. Their continued fixed position does not help them and their followers.

But assuming hypothetically that the elections were to be held as they demand, what guarantee is there that they will emerge victorious when the conditions that existed and led to a GNU have not changed. What if we have another hung parliament, necessitating another GNU.

Evidence on the ground point to little change in the political landscape and this might work against them. The same laws that existed before are still in place and the State security apparatus have not changed their attitude towards PM Tsvangirai, one wonders if they can hand over power to him if by some miracle he wins.

There are also indicators that the African Union and Sadc now see MDC-T’s refusal to call for sanctions removal as a stumbling block to progress.

Some quarters rumour that these institutions and the rest of the world now prefer a reformed Zanu-PF than an amateurish MDC-T. The recent expose by Mr Miliband really placed the MDC-T in a very weak position as it came towards the start of the AU summit, which on hearing such revelations spoke with unanimity on the need to remove sanctions.

If the election were to be held now, I believe the MDC-T will be at its weakest position given the glaring reality that divisions in the party, especially in Bulawayo, Beitbridge and Chitungwiza, just to name a few, have risen to critical levels.

MDC-T’s position in Matabeleland has also been further weakened by their selective awarding of ministerial positions.

It is well documented that after the March 2008 elections in which MDC-T scored some 41 percent votes compared to the Arthur Mutambara formation’s 38 percent in Bulawayo (but winning all seats) they went on to appoint only one minister from Matabeleland, and that was Mr Eddie Cross of all the people.

It took serious protests from the region for PM Tsvangirai to revise his list to include Joel Gabuza and Sipepa Nkomo. In the eyes of many PM Tsvangirai was so disrespectful to his supporters that he went on to appoint Abednigo Bhebhe — a Mutambara faction MP — and hired Gorden Moyo from Bulawayo Agenda as if to confirm that all his MPs have no capacity to be Ministers.

The continued strategy of isolating Matabeleland continues up to now with revelations that in the current appointments to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, the Media Commission and the Human Rights Commission, most strong candidates from this side who were in the backing of the MDC-T were dropped in the last minute. This is also true of the composition of the people constituting the constitution-making outreach teams.

The serious allegations of corruption by many MDC-T councillors and some of their ministers have further weakened their position in public. Also we have heard some serious overspending by the Prime Minister at the time when the civil servants are living in abject poverty, earning unimaginable salaries which in reality are just a curse and insult to their profession.

Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, the minister in charge of civil servants, has been running in sixes and sevens failing to handle the strike, forgetting that in the recent past it was them who were using these workers as a ladder to get to power. Now that they are in power they want to pretend that all is well and that civil servants are unreasonable when their demands are genuine. Workers need decent wages, they don’t eat slogans.

It is important that before we engage in useless talks about elections we also look at the reality of whether we have the resources to run the election. Given the pathetic state of the national coffers, where does the MDC-T imagine the money to run elections will come from.

It is my proposition that before anyone can talk of an election, the following area addressed:

l A new people driven constitution;
l Removal of sanctions;
l Media freedom;
l Security reforms;
l Economic stabilization;
l Government institutions reform.

It is my conclusion that the country does not need an election now and that the political parties in GNU should stop being alarmist and negotiate patiently. Political posturing will not help the country move forward.

Qhubani Moyo is based in Bulawayo and specialises in Public Policy and Developmental Affairs. He is contactable on qmoyo2000@yahoo.co.uk.

Sunday News
Sunday News Reporter
21 February 2010

Zimbabweans from Matabeleland based in the United States met the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts, and Culture, Senator David Coltart, during his visit to that country to develop new strategies of improving Mathematics and Science results in the region’s schools.

The group calling itself Mthwakazi Education Committee said it is prepared to work with the ministry to bring the changes to the education sector in the region.

In 2007, the District Education Officer, Mr Dan Moyo, said they had set aside Mpopoma High School as a science centre in the region and Townsend High School as an agriculture centre.

He said this was meant to develop the quality of science results in the region and ensure that students from this region also made it to study sciences at university.

The committee chairperson, Dr Ernest Simela, said there was a need to work hand in glove with the ministry to bring results in science education in the region.

“This requires us to develop a database of qualified and willing people that can be involved,” he said.

The meeting was held in New York City in the United States of America on 2 February this year.

The committee presented a paper titled, The Rehabilitation of Education in Zimbabwe with Input for Matabeleland and Midlands Regions.

The committee consists of Dr Simela, Mr Julian Bhebhe, Mr Dominic Muntanga and Ms Thokozile Mkwananzi.

Dr Simela said the development of the new education strategy had to take into cognisance the fact that the Matabeleland region had for long been neglected.

“The new strategy should focus on the critical need for the development of Math and Science centres with a nationwide equitable distribution and most importantly recognising the neglect that has occurred in Matabeleland,” he said.

The committee chairperson said it is important for the region to actively participate in the curriculum review.

“Curriculum review is important and it is in the region’s interest to partner in this process. We stressed our desire to be involved in the process,” he said.

The committee said it is also important to focus on the computerisation of schools to reduce the digital divide.

“The senator talked about his own experience with old computers donated to Founders High School. The school was able to set them up and use them,” he said.
The committee said the problems in education were familiar territory as none of the issues presented to Senator Coltart were foreign to him as he is familiar with the plight of the region.

“Our interest to partner with him was expressed clearly. “To that he responded by highlighting the gravity of the task he has at hand in his efforts to re-build the educational system of Zimbabwe,” said Dr Simela.

He said, on his part, the minister said he requires resources to develop a new website for the ministry to be utilised for the proposal of policies, the partnership of people with similar skills and utilisation by the academies of excellence for fundraising and collection of school supplies and books.

“The website will also be helpful in the networking and recruiting of Math and Science teachers from other parts of the world,” he said.

The committee suggested a number of schools to be developed as academies of excellence in the region among them Milton High and Evelyn High both in Bulawayo, Plumtree High in Plumtree and JZ Moyo in West Nicholson.

The Herald

19 February 2010

Harare — GOVERNMENT says it presently has no solution to the civil servants’ strike that enters its second full week today.

This came as unionists said they would hold a report back meeting with their members in the Harare Gardens today after which they will march through the city centre.

The Public Service Commission has since declared the strike illegal, ordering State employees who have not been reporting for duty to do so immediately.

Yesterday, PSC chairman Dr Mariyawanda Nzuwah declined to comment on what action they were going to take after that warning went largely unheeded.

The strike has not caught on in many Government departments, but some schools have been negatively affected, especially in rural and peri-urban areas where parents are not forthcoming with incentives.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart conceded Government was still to find a solution to the impasse.

“The position is unchanged. There is no resolution between employees and Government and we are still pursuing all available options to end the strike.

“One of the solutions is to continue negotiations with all parties,” he said.

Minister Coltart warned teachers against inducing parents to pay them allowances in return for lessons for their children.

The minister refused to comment on today’s rally, referring all questions to Public Service Minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro, who was not answering his cellphone.

Mrs Tendai Chikowore, who chairs the Apex Council, that brings together all civil service unions said they would decide on what course of action to take after briefing their counterparts.

“It will be up to them to tell us what course of action to take,” she said.

New Ziana quoted Public Service Association executive secretary Mr Emmanuel Tichareva as saying: “Civil servants are still on strike and tomorrow (today) union leaders will be meeting civil servants as we try to chart the way forward.

“We will be informing members on what we have gathered from meetings with other members in different cities.”

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu added: “We will hold a public meeting with members which will be followed by a march from Harare Gardens through Julius Nyerere Way, Nelson Mandela Avenue to Fourth Street.

“We will pass through Kaguvi Building and the New Government Complex handing out petitions to the ministries of Finance and Public Service.”

A snap survey yesterday showed most Government departments were functional though some were only manned by senior staff.

Those schools that have agreed incentives schemes with parents are open while others remain shut.

At Beatrice Government Boarding Primary School, the headmistress was moving from class to class giving pupils work to do.

“I am the only one attending to these children. I cannot ask why a teacher is absent as I fully understand the situation.

“We cannot close the school because it is a boarding school, I just have to hang around and see that the children have someone to look after them,” she said.

At Gilstone Primary and Secondary School teachers and parents were locked in a meeting to map the way forward.

“Once we agree on a suitable figure we are going to commence lessons,” one of the teachers said.

Classrooms were locked at Ardno Primary School and there was no sign of teachers or students.

School children interviewed said they last had lessons in January.

General Agriculture and Plantation Workers’ Union information officer Mr Tapiwa Zivira said teachers at farm schools were demanding US$1 per subject for secondary school students and the same amount per primary school pupil.

“Farm labourers are failing to raise such figures because the majority earn US$32 per month.

“Ten schools in Chegutu’s farming and surrounding rural areas had more than 450 school dropouts before the strike because of difficulties in raising school fees,” he said.

In Zhombe, Mrs Petronella Sayi said pupils at Fafi Primary School had stopped going to school because of the strike.

In most of Harare’s high-density schools, lessons were in full swing.

Civil servants are demanding a minimum monthly salary of US$630 up from the current average of US$160.

Government has reportedly factored in the US$15 allowance it promised for this month’s salaries.