New Zimbabwe

By New Zimbabwe Reporter

10 September 2013

TEACHERS’ unions say delays in appointing a cabinet by President Robert Mugabe has led to paralysis in the education sector after schools opened last week without enough teachers.

Unions are angry with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) whose directives to provincial education officers on temporary teacher recruitment have caused confusion countrywide.

And the teachers’ representatives say without a minister in charge following the dissolution of government on August 22 when President Mugabe was inaugurated, they have found it increasingly difficult to get clarity.

Raymond Majongwe, the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary general, said: “It is worrying that some of these instructions are done in a mysterious manner because we don’t know who is giving them.

The CSC is a creation of the country’s new constitution adopted in May, and is a successor organisation to the Public Service Commission (PSC) which was responsible for the employment of public sector workers.

Said Majongwe: “This scenario [absence of a minister] has created challenges because we now have areas that still do not have teachers. Remote areas like Binga and Jotsholo are having problems yet there were people who were recruited there.

“We have not found any joy since the CSC took over and we’re not clear as to who is implementing directives issued from there. Schools have not even been given a circular but we just see things happening without clarity.”

The CSC issued a directive last month freezing all new public sector appointments – in the process disempowering provincial education officers from recruiting temporary teachers.

A second directive specifically for the education sector said priority should be given to college and university graduates with teaching and non-teaching diplomas and degrees, retired personnel and returning teachers aged below 50. O’ and A Level holders came last.

Zimbabwe Teachers’ Union (ZIMTA) CEO Sifiso Ndlovu said: “Generally, there is a blackout in communication regarding this issue. We are getting lots of concerns but the commission has not communicated anything to anyone since it took over.

“It seems the CSC is not in tune with the modern developments on the importance of communicating with stakeholders. We expect them to brief stakeholders on what is happening since they took over but they have not done anything. We feel this is a display of arrogance.

“They should have engaged all the concerned people but it seems they do not want that. If this is how they would conduct themselves then that is a false start.”

Mugabe was expected to name a Cabinet last week but he has kept the nation waiting just 10- days short of a month since he was sworn in for a new five-year term.

David Coltart is the outgoing Education Minister.

New Zimbabwe

By New Zimbabwe Reporter

10 September 2013

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe named a new cabinet on Tuesday after his re-election in July, handing the key finance ministry to a combative political lieutenant with little experience in running a treasury.

In a surprise line-up, Mugabe also appointed two inexperienced officials to head the mining and empowerment portfolios, both at the heart of a push to increase black ownership of the economy by forcing foreign firms to cede majority stakes to locals.

“The cabinet has been reduced from 33 to 26 with 24 ministries,” chief secretary to the cabinet Misheck Sibanda told journalists.

The cabinet retains members of the old guard of Mugabe’s Zanu PF party including those who have served in government since independence in 1980.

The appointments came more than a month after elections on July 31, which ended a shaky power sharing government formed by Mugabe and rival Morgan Tsvangirai four years ago.

Former justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, a lawyer, was named finance minister to succeed Tendai Biti from former prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party.

The new treasury chief’s biggest challenge will be to try to mobilise foreign assistance, despite the western sanctions, for a government which spends 70 percent of its budget on civil servants’ wages.

Long-time defence minister Emmerson Mnangagwa – who with vice president Joice Mujuru is a leading candidate to succeed Mugabe as Zanu PF leader – replaced Chinamasa at the justice ministry while former state security minister Sydney Sekeramayi took over defence.

In other key appointments, the veteran leader shifted Saviour Kasukuwere away from the indigenisation portfolio replacing him with former environment minister Francis Nhema while the mines ministry goes to Walter Chidhakwa who takes over from Obert Mpofu.

Jonathan Moyo also returned to a renamed media and broadcasting services ministry despite his defeat in the July elections and earlier strained relationship with the party hierarchy.

The response to the announcement was mixed with analysts saying the impact of individual personalities on policy or the pace of implementation will be limited in a government tightly controlled by Mugabe and Zanu PF party.

Opposition politician and former sports minister David Coltart said some Zanu PF hardliners appeared to have been demoted and welcomed the news.

But economist Eric Bloc said the new government would be “a disaster” if appointments made public so far were anything to go by.

“It’s a disaster,” Bloc said. “None of those announced so far are qualified for the posts. President Mugabe is trying to unite his party without considering the best interests of the country and I am pessimistic about the future.”

Another economic commentator Tony Hawkins, added: “The demotion of Kasukuwere and appointment of Chidhakwa as minister for mines will be seen by the mining industry as positive.

“Both Chidhakwa, a former official in the Zimbabwe Investment Authority, and Nhema are thought likely to take a softer line on indigenisation than their predecessors.

Government officials hope the US and the EU will abolish the remaining “targeted sanctions” against prominent Mugabe aides and state-owned businesses, with Belgium already calling for this in respect of state-owned diamond mining companies.

The World Bank is also keen to see the sanctions go so it can press ahead with an urgently needed debt relief programme for the country. An IMF team is due to visit the country next month.

July’s elections extended Mugabe’s 33-year rule by another five years but long-time rival Tsvangirai rejected the elections as “a sham” and “a massive fraud.”

And, pointing to multiple flaws in the July 31 vote cited by domestic observers, Western governments – especially the United States – have questioned the credibility of the outcome and are considering whether to prolong sanctions against Mugabe.

But the veteran leader has drawn comfort from African observers who endorsed the vote as largely free and orderly. Western observers were barred and Mugabe has told critics to “go hang,” arguing he won fairly.

The Telegraph

By Peta Thornycroft and Aislinn Laing

10 September 2013

Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president recently elected to serve a seventh term amid allegations of massive vote rigging, has announced a new cabinet made up of hardliners from his Zanu PF party.

Cricket Country

By Sarang Bhalerao 

7 September 2013

Kevin Curran, born on September 7, 1959, was one of Zimbabwe’s premier all-rounders. He played only 11 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) before plying his trade in the English county circuit where he carved a niche for himself with consistent performances. After retiring from the game, Curran coached Namibia and Zimbabwe. In 2012, at 53, he died after collapsing while jogging. Sarang Bhalerao tells you more about blond haired Curran.

When you hear the name Kevin Curran you know him as a Zimbabwean coach, you know him as an overseas professional who served Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire and you know him for his pivotal role in trouncing the proverbial “Goliath” on June 9, 1983.

Sport becomes an interesting spectacle when Goliath is trounced. The Zimbabwean folklore has reserved a special chapter for their sensational, yet unexpected, win over Australia in the first game of the 1983 Prudential World Cup in Nottingham. A certain Duncan Fletcher was the chief architect of the win — scoring 69 and taking four wickets. But the supporting act was equally important and Curran played that role to perfection.

At 94 for five, Zimbabwe were in serious danger of finishing at a below par total. But Fletcher-Curran stand of 70 gave Zimbabwean innings an air of respectability. Curran’s 46-ball 27 was a vital innings that helped Zimbabwe stabilise the innings. Zimbabwe set Australia 240 runs to win.

In reply, Australia finished on 226 for seven. Curran picked up the vital wicket of Allan Border which triggered panic as Australia still needed 72 runs. The win is one of the most cherished moments in the annals of Zimbabwe cricket history.

His best bowling analysis of three for 65 came in the losing cause against India at Tunbridge Wells. Opening the bowling, Curran got Kris Srikkanth and Sandeep Patil out cheaply. But little did Zimbabwe realise the Haryana Hurricane’s power-hitting was to hurt them. Curran suffered at the hands of Kapil Dev who went on to score 175 not out.

Chasing a challenging 267 to win, Zimbabwean run-chase was powered by Curran who scored 73. The game was not in the India’s grasp until Curran got out — the ninth wicket to fall. This was the best batting performance by Curran in his 11 match One-Day International (ODI) career. Talking of Curran his former Zimbabwean captain Fletcher said in Wisden Obituary: “Kevin always genuinely believed that any difficult situation was a challenge to be overcome.”

It was very difficult to keep Curran out of action. He was always in the game either with the ball, bat and his fielding was a big positive.

In the next World Cup in 1987, Curran’s performances were disappointing. He failed to make a substantial difference in the final analysis of the games and hardly had any impact. The end of the World Cup also marked his end of his international career. In the 11 ODI games, he scored 287 runs at an average of 26.09 and picked up nine wickets at 44.22 runs per wicket.

Curran embarked upon a memorable county journey in the English county cricket where he became one of the most efficient overseas performers. He had an Irish passport as his paternal grandfather shifted to the then Rhodesia in 1902.

Curran represented Gloucestershire since 1985 and was one of the key members of the side. In his debut season he picked up 52 wickets and helped his county jump to the third position from the last place. His partners-in-crime for the county were David Lawrence and Courtney Walsh. Wisden termed this attack as “the most formidable the county had ever developed.”

At times Curran got a bit fired up but all in the heat of the moment. There was no malice. There were theatrics which is a trait not uncommon in fast bowlers. He was a vital cog in Gloucestershire’s scheme-of-things. But at the end of 1990, the club didn’t renew his contract. According to the senior coach Eddie Barlow, Curran’s departure was “in best interest of the club.”

Curran’s contribution for Gloucestershire was outstanding. He went past the 1,000 run-mark on four successive occasions. In 1988 he picked up 65 wickets and in his final tryst with the club he got 60 scalps.

After the stint with Gloucestershire, Curran signed for Northamptonshire. He was immediately welcomed by their captain and English international Allan Lamb. Curran would constantly ask Lamb to give him a bowl or ask for the No 3 slot. His proactiveness impressed Lamb who said and was quoted by Wisden Obituary: “He always felt he was better than anybody else, and I liked that.”

In 1992, Zimbabwe got the Test status and Curran had an option of representing his country but he chose not to go for that option and instead waited for the 10-year qualification to be an English citizen. He served his county and not the country.

In 1993, Curran picked up 67 wickets at an average of almost 19. In 1997 he was made the captain of the team but the team failed to click under him. He also represented Boland (1988) and Natal (1993 to 1997). In 1999, he retired from the game. His First-Class record was impressive: 15,470 runs In 324 games at an average of about 37, including 25 tons. He picked up 605 scalps at 27-runs per wicket.

Life after retirement

Curran was still associated with the game albeit as a coach. He took the coaching reigns of Namibia after being an assistant coach of Zimbabwean team since 1999. In 2004 he coached the CFX Zimbabwe academy side in Harare.

A lot of senior cricketers left the country during Robert Mugabe’s regime. As a result, Curran was coaching a bunch of young tyros.

He took charge of the national team replacing Phil Simmons in 2005. The players were disappointed with the sacking of Simmons by the Zimbabwe cricket board. When Curran came in, he was allegedly too close to the board. Several players were angry because of his interference when it came to persuading players to sign the controversial contracts that had some clauses which were unacceptable to the players.

“The feeling among the players is that he will use them to keep his position. They don’t feel he has the same approach to them as Simmons did. Kevin sees the players as a product while Phil used to see them as individuals,” said an unknown source to ESPNCricinfo.

The rift between players and Zimbabwe Cricket officials widened. Ahead of the ODI series against Kenya the players were vociferous about their discontent with the board officials.

In an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent, Curran said the rift was because of his disciplinarian approach. “Where that comes across is that I have strong work ethics, and there are players who did not like that,” he said. “The likes of Duncan Fletcher are like that. We have to do it the way the best cricket nations in the world do it. If any of the players do not want to put up with these ethics, there is no place for them in Zimbabwe cricket.”

In 2006, Simmons said that some of the Zimbabwe players were unhappy under Curran’s regime. To this Curran countered saying that it was a case of “sour grapes.”

“Whilst I will reserve my right to follow the legal route on the actionable statements, I will not enter a public slanging match with Simmons. It is regrettable that he has decided to go public with what he was allegedly told. I would respectfully suggest that if he intends to pursue his case with his former employer he should do so without involving me,” said Curran to ESPNCricinfo.

In 2006 Zimbabwe lost their Test status courtesy of disappointing performances. In December 2006, a home series loss to Bangladesh infuriated the officials.

Zimbabwe were knocked out of the first round of the 2007 World Cup and under Curran they had lost 30 of the 40 ODIs played. After the exit from the competition, Curran proposed the plan to introduce specialist coaches as most of the other sides did. The nation’s confidence on the cricket team was at a nadir and so coach Curran was sacked. Zimbabwe lost 3-0 to South Africa at home.

On August 27, Robin Brown replaced Curran as the new Zimbabwe coach.

In 2011, Curran was appointed as the selector of the Zimbabwe national team. Curran was by that time coaching Mashonaland Eagles and was playing an active role in running the Interfin Cricket Academy in Harare.

In 2012, Curran died early morning in Mutare while jogging. “We are still in shock, Kevin was the epitome of health and we have yet to make sense of this tragic loss,” Zimbabwe Cricket’s managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa said in a press conference.

“KC had put his heart and soul into developing our franchise and had great plans for our high performance gym and other facilities… his passing will leave a huge void at Mash Eagles and I feel that I have not only lost a key business ally but a friend as well.”

Curran’s teammate Andy Traicos was shocked to learn about the former’s death. He was quoted saying byESPNCricinfo: “The most shocking thing is, he (Curran) was incredibly fit. He was a fitness fanatic, he used to be in the gym everyday… He and Malcolm Jarvis ran a gymnasium in Harare and Kevin was there every day, did everything from weights to aerobics. And he ran a lot. He was very, very competitive and played rugby, tennis and golf. He was a naturally talented guy.”

Waller talked to ESPNCricinfo about Curran’s competitive spirit. He said, “He had played in a regular 4-ball (golf) at Rusape Country Club, the area where he and folks once farmed. Him and his mate could never win this one particular hole versus the two elderly gents. It was a straight par 4, but over a slight rise with the green out of sight. The two old blokes hit it straight over the rise and the ball always rolled down the hill on the hard fairways close to the green. The day before one encounter he got some of the labourers from the farm, dug a bunker in front of the green without permission from the green-keeper or anyone. The two old folks were horrified to see their balls in the bunkers after their normal straight drives. Kev and his mate won the hole for the first time.”

Zimbabwe sports minister David Coltart said: “I fondly remember the chats we had recently about the future of cricket in Zimbabwe. He had such a passion for the game and Zimbabwe. He stuck to our beloved nation through its worst years and was committed to doing what he could to restore pride to Zimbabwe cricket. He will be sorely missed.”

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan wrote: “Thoughts are with his close family. A wonderful cricketer who would have flourished in the modern era of T20.”

Curran may well have excelled in the shortest format of the game. He never played the longer version of the game for his side. He also got out pretty early in the innings called “life”. Zimbabwe cricket dearly misses Curran even today.

SW Radio Africa

By Alex Bell

5 September 2013

Bulawayo will not get a chance to host the second international test cricket match against Pakistan, after officials announced this week that the match will instead take place in Harare.

The Zimbabwe Cricket board said in a statement on Wednesday that the test match, scheduled for the Bulawayo Queens Sports Club, will instead take place at the Harare sports Club. The match, the second and final in the test series against Pakistan, is due to begin next Tuesday.

The statement on Wednesday cited “logistical reasons” for the decision, saying that an inspection of the Bulawayo grounds found that “it is not in a position” to host the match.”

“The host franchise, Tuskers, remains committed to hosting international matches at Queens and as Zimbabwe Cricket it is our practice to distribute matches between Harare and Bulawayo,” said Zim Cricket managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa, adding: “The status of each tour will determine where to host the various matches.”

The venue switch comes as the home side has been demonstrating fine form during the first test, still underway in Harare.

The performance has temporarily overshadowed the serious problems faced by the cash strapped Zim Cricket board, which recently faced a potential boycott by its players over unpaid wages.

This boycott was avoided after assurances from the board that the money was coming, and it is understood that the switch from Bulawayo to Harare is part of a cost-saving strategy.

Outgoing sports Minister David Coltart on Thursday lamented what he called “serious administrative and financial problems in Zimbabwe cricket.” Speaking during an interview with SW Radio Africa, Coltart first extended his compliments to the home team, calling their performance against Pakistan “magnificent.”

Coltart then went on to question the official reason given for the venue switch, saying it “beggars belief that the Queens Club is not in a position to host the match.”

“It is a magnificent ground and a number of international players have said it is one of the best wickets in the world,” Coltart explained, saying he visited the grounds very recently.

He added: “It can’t possibly have anything to do with the physical circumstances of the ground. It does appear, although this isn’t the reason given, that the real reason is financial.”

The outgoing minister said that the financial issues call for “introspection and understanding of whether we are applying our money, that is Zim Cricket money, to the rights things.”

“In the past we have had a bloated administration with some people in senior administrative positions who started out quite poor and ended their terms very wealthy people. And I question if this is the right application of money,” Coltart said.

Two years ago Coltart issued a directive, that was accepted by the Sports and Recreation Commission, that there be an equitable distribution of international games across the county. Coltart explained that the intention was to “spread the game so Zimbabweans could develop “patriotic, nationalistic spirit in support of our teams.”

“Zim Cricket has honoured that directive and equitably shared all matches between Bulawayo and Harare. But this year it has not been complied with. This is a very retrogressive step that leads to the impression that only people who live in Harare can have the benefit of watching international teams. And I hope Zim Cricket are not hoping to go against that directive,” Coltart said.

Southern Eye

By Southern Eye Reporter

5 September 2013

ZANU PF’S election victory has heightened fears programmes such as the Education Transition Fund (ETF) would be abandoned to the detriment of the education sector that was brought to its knees before it was rescued by the formation of the inclusive government in 2009.

Coltart said his successor should understand that ETF was the only salvation for the education sector because Treasury was virtually broke.

“The first thing my successor would do is to decide whether or not ETF is illegal as they claimed,” he said.

“If they decide that it is illegal, they would not want to continue with it.

“If they decide that they were not telling the truth in their manifesto and ETF is legal, then they will continue with it.

“There was no money from Treasury to fund education, it was the ETF that financed the sector.”

Coltart said some of the projects funded through the ETF were at pilot stage and would transform the education sector if fully implemented.

“Firstly there is the issue of curriculum review and reform, the process had already started,” he said.

“The curriculum has not been reviewed in a long time and the recommendations of the Nziramasanga Report in 1999 have not been implemented.

“There is also the School Improvement Grant programme with a funding of $62 million. We had a pilot scheme in Goromonzi (district). The plan was to extend the scheme to all schools.

“The purpose was infrastructure development because we realised that most schools had not been refurbished for more than a decade.

“In Goromonzi, we had identified 100 schools where we were repairing roofs, buying desks and making sure that the infrastructure was rehabilitated.”

Coltart said the programme was important because it was meant to ensure a friendly learning environment at the country’s schools.

“There are quite a number of projects that we might take hours (talking about them), but what is important to note is that the ETF is most critical in all these projects as it is the source of the funding,” the MDC secretary for legal affairs said.

According to the Zanu PF manifesto, non-governmental organisations had, during the life of the Global Political Agreement, poured $2,6 billion to support “nefarious activities” , which the party inferred included the ETF.

News Day

By News Day Reporter

5 September 2013

ZIMBABWE CRICKET (ZC) has moved the second Zong presents Haier Cup Test cricket match against Pakistan from Bulawayo to Harare because of logistical reasons, torching a heated debate on Twitter yesterday.

While ZC claims Queens Sports Ground is not in a condition to host the match, cricket fans believe this is just a way of starving Bulawayo of international cricket.

ZC said in a statement: “A final venue inspection of Queens Sports Club showed that it is not in a position to host the second and final Test match, which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday the 10th of this month.

“The host franchise, Tuskers, remains committed to hosting international matches at Queens and as ZC it is our practice to distribute matches between Harare and Bulawayo,” said ZC managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa.

He added: “The status of each tour will determine where to host the various matches.”

Former Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart who, during his tenure in office directed that all national associations should spread international matches across the country, said yesterday: “Decision by Zimbabwe Cricket appears to indicate that ZC are going to starve Bulawayo of international cricket. Hope I’m proved wrong.”

Veteran cricket commentator Dean du Plessis waded into the conversation saying ZC must explain.

“And slowly, but surely, Bulawayo is being starved of all international cricket. Not good ZC, explain yourselves. Pathetic.”

Some said the statements were inflammatory to which Joe BlackZW replied: “What is inflammatory about saying that Bulawayo is being starved of international cricket? Facts.”

Mandlenkosi Mpofu said the decision left him feeling unZimbabwean. “Are they offering any reasons? or maybe the hotels in Harare pressed them to make their decision? I feel so unZimbabwean now.”

Barry Manandi tweeted: “The sooner we dump our Hararecentric mentality and become more national in thinking the sooner we move forward as a people! As Zimbabweans, we need to start having a national rather than regional perspective, while maintaining ethnic pride.”

Mike Madoda added: “Bulawayo/Matabeleland is such an emotional subject for many Zimbabweans — I wonder why. Victim mentality vs insensitivity.”

The Financial Gazette

By Financial Gazette Reporter

5 September 2013

BULAWAYO — Minority groups in Matabeleland have intensified programmes aimed at promoting their previously marginalised languages in the wake of the adoption of the new Constitution of Zimbabwe in June this year.

The new supreme law, which repealed the Lancaster House charter, accords official status to 16 languages.

Most of them are spoken in Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North provinces.

The old constitution only recognised English, Ndebele and Shona as the official languages of Zimbabwe.

Section 6 (1) of the current Constitution reads: “The following languages, namely Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa, are the officially recognised languages of Zimbabwe.”

Under the same section, 6 (4), the supreme law stipulates that the State must promote and advance the use of all languages used in Zimbabwe, while creating conditions for their development.

Outgoing Education Minister, David Coltart, said he expects the incoming government to honour the language policy by ensuring that all the local languages are taught and examined in schools.

In Matabeleland, various lobby groups are ratcheting up pressure on government to set the wheels in motion.

One of the groups working flat out to promote minority languages is Basilwizi whose main objective is that of facilitating Tonga language orthography harmonisation.

Frank Mudimba, head of the programme, said Basilwizi promotes Tonga language being spoken predominantly in Binga.

“This was achieved through collaboration with University of Zambia and University of Zimbabwe (UZ) in February 2013. Lusumpuko, a secondary school textbook series, has also been produced with our help and is being used in the lower tiers of secondary education,” said Mudimba.

Basilwizi and its partners are now working on the Ordinary Level set of Tonga textbooks and Tonga novels.

Among other things, the organisation has also facilitated the writing of Tonga language at Grade 7 since 2011.

The Koisan people are also trying hard to revitalise their dying language.

Last month, they convened at Gariya Dam in Tsholotsho to celebrate the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous People.

The day’s objective is to promote non-discrimination and inclusion of indigenous peoples in the design, implementation and evaluation of international, regional and national processes regarding laws, policies, resources, programmes and projects.

The Koisan, found in Tsholotsho and Bulilima and with a population of about 2 000, have since formed the Creative Arts and Education Development Association (CAEDA) to document and promote their language.

CAEDA director, Davy Ndlovu, said their language was not Koisan as it is referred to in the new Constitution but Tshwao.

He said they had tried to no avail to bring that to the attention of Constitutional Parliamentary Select Committee, which presided over the writing of the new charter. Ndlovu said the Koisan people would still pursue the same issue with the incoming ZANU-PF government.

Tshwao is fluently spoken by only 15 elderly people aged between 65 and 97 while the rest spoke a diluted version.

“What we are doing at the moment to preserve the language is recording those few elders as they speak so we can come up with the vocabulary that we can later pass on to children. It’s quite interesting because the younger generation is also showing interest in learning the language,” said Ndlovu.

“We have engaged the UZ which is assisting us with documentation. The other problem is that the education system does not cater for the San. There is no-one among the San who is educated enough to be able to teach this language in schools,” he added.

Ndlovu said they were having challenges with resources to expand their programmes, adding that their children who were fortunate enough to go to school were learning Ndebele and fast losing touch with their own culture.

Former Ward 15 councillor for Mangwe, Thandiwe Moyo, of Mphoengs where SeTswana is spoken, said they would lobby their newly elected legislator, Obedingwa Mguni, to push for the promotion of that language in the area bordering Botswana.

“We are saying since at our homes we speak SeTswana to our children, it would be good if that same language was taught at our schools and be promoted in line with the new Constitution,” Moyo said.

Kalanga Language and Cultural Development Association (KLCDA) chairperson, Pax Nkomo, said while the other so called minority languages were being marginalised locally, they were being promoted outside Zimbabwe save for Kalanga which was suppressed by the colonial Rhodesian government.

He cited Venda, Sotho and Xhosa as being taught at colleges and universities in neighbouring South Africa, and Tonga in Zambia.

He said the imposition of Ndebele chiefs on the Kalanga people contributed to the neglect of the language predominantly spoken in four out of seven districts of Matabeleland South namely Bulilima, Mangwe, Matobo and Tsholotsho.

“We are not going to let our language die and we therefore challenge the incoming new government of Zimbabwe to give Kalanga language affirmative action so we can liberate our culture which was suppressed,” said Nkomo.

He said the BaKalanga themselves must arise and champion that cause and not wait for the government to take the lead.

Nkomo, however, said despite the challenges primary school textbooks had been printed from the Education Transition Fund and were at a UNICEF warehouse awaiting disbursement to schools.

Some schools in areas where Kalanga is spoken are already teaching the language which is yet to be examined by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council.

Zimbabwe Indigenous Languages Promotion Association (ZIPLA) chairperson, Mareta Dube, said they had successfully lobbied the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education to consider training teachers in those languages. Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic is already training teachers for Kalanga, Sotho and Venda.

“We hope that the United College of Education will follow next year,” she said.

Dube said ZILPA which is currently focusing on six languages — Sotho, Venda, Kalanga, Nambya, Tonga and Shangani — had financial constraints. For example, Sotho books remain soft copies at Longman-Zimbabwe due to lack of funding to have them printed.

Dube said they needed finances to gather relevant literature in the languages for students and future generations.

She appealed to the incoming government to consider importing skills from countries which have already been teaching those languages or introduce scholarships for Zimbabweans to go and train as lecturers and teachers in those same countries.

Kalanga cultural activist and author, Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo, said he was sceptical of government’s political will to advance minority languages, adding that there were some elements within political parties that were against their promotion during the constitution-making process.

Southern Eye

By Divine Dube

3 September 2013

CIVIC groups have warned that the incoming government might not have the political will to promote and advance minority languages as enshrined in the new Constitution.

Zimbabwe Indigenous Languages Promotion Association (Zilpa), an independent association that promotes ethnic languages rights, has been clamouring for the recognition of local languages through their inclusion in the education curricula.

The 2001 Education Act saw some of the languages being introduced in primary schools.

The new Constitution compels the government to advance and promote local languages, but civic activists are sceptical that the new government may not be too keen to advance the languages.

Thomas Sithole, a civic activist with Plumtree Development Trust, said the government will likely ignore the constitutional provision which binds it to promote local languages.

“This will be a difficult call for government to do anything to promote minority languages, as they know that promotion of one’s language cannot be divorced from real empowerment, as these communities have been marginalised since independence,” he said.

“The government will most likely cite financial constraints and just pay lip service for political expediency.”

However, Sithole maintained that local groups should lobby for government intervention in their bid to fight their cause.

Cultural activist and author Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo weighed in, saying he doubted whether there was political will to advance minority languages.

“People must bear in mind that there were some elements within political parties that were against the promotion of minority languages during the constitution-making process, hence I don’t see any political will in the new government to promote minority languages,” he said.

During the Copac programme Zanu PF strongly resisted having local languages being granted official language status in the new Constitution.

Zilpa secretary Tshidzanani Malaba, however, remained hopeful that the government will work to promote local languages.

“We hope that the new government will do something to promote and advance minority languages rights as provided for in the constitution,” he said.

Outgoing Education minister David Coltart said any incoming minister will have to honour the language policies in place, adding the Constitution mandated the State and all other government agencies to promote and advance minority languages.

“It’s too early to say whether the new government will have the political will to promote minority languages, but I think the new government will have to honour language policies in place and the new Constitution that places an obligation on government to promote local languages,” he said.

Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa were accorded official status in the new Constitution, alongside Ndebele, English and Shona.

Southern Eye

By Southern Eye Reporter

3 September 2013

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe is this week expected to announce his new Cabinet and it is almost certain that he would appoint a new Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister.

Mugabe has described his outgoing Cabinet as the worst he has presided over since the country’s independence in 1980.

The jury is still out on that one because Zimbabwe would not be where it is today if it had better performing ministers in the past.

However, what is not disputable is that David Coltart stood shoulders above the rest during the tumultuous period of the inclusive government.

At the inception of the coalition government, the education sector was virtually on its knees.

The few qualified teachers who had not skipped the country for greener pastures were spending most of their time on strike demanding better salaries than in class.

Although the new government did little to improve their salaries, the adoption of the multi-currency system at least ensured that teachers got a living wage.

Coltart also fought tenaciously for teachers that had deserted their jobs at the height of hyperinflation to be re-engaged despite the many frustrations caused by a rigid bureaucracy.

More importantly, the outgoing minister will be remembered for his role in the setting up of the Education Transition Fund (ETF), which was instrumental in reviving the country’s education sector.

The fund helped with the procurement of textbooks for schools and right now money from the fund is being used to review the country’s education curriculum.

Strangely, Zanu PF was not happy with the strides made in the education sector and singled out Coltart for special mention in its July 31 elections manifesto.

He was accused of allegedly spearheading donor-driven programmes “camouflaged by the sanitised language of humanitarian and developmental assistance to cover up sinister regime-change intentions”.

There is no doubt millions of satisfied parents would not agree with this dishonest assessment of the outgoing minister’s performance by Zanu PF.

Therefore, Coltart’s successor has big shoes to fill because the bar has been set very high. Reversing Coltart’s initiatives would not be in Zimbabwe’s interest and we are confident Zanu PF is capable of differentiating election rhetoric from actual governance.