The Irish Times

10 June 2010

By Petroc Trelawny

Despite its disparate membership, the MDC- Zanu-PF coalition seems to be working, writes PETROC TRELAWNY

AT THE end of a gala concert at Bulawayo’s Academy of Music, the audience stand to sing the Zimbabwe national anthem. It’s a substantial work – three verses – sung in Shona, Ndebele and English. On stage, a children’s choir performs with gusto.

The largely white audience are less sure; many of them are over 60 and this is the fourth anthem they have known.

In the middle of Row E, a tall, lean man, his back ramrod straight, delivers the words with energy, even pride. Senator David Coltart has his right hand clasped to his chest. His fingers are spread flat – the open palm is the symbol of his party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu- PF uses the clenched fist as its trademark.

Last year Coltart became Zimbabwe’s minister for education, sport, arts and culture, part of the new coalition government that saw the MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai appointed prime minister.

Although the latter part of Coltart’s brief enables him to attend the occasional classical concert or watch the Brazilian football team beat Zimbabwe in a pre-World Cup friendly, it is education that is by far his biggest responsibility. His department employs 90,000 teachers and civil servants.

Until the inflation-ridden Zimbabwe dollar was abandoned last year and replaced by the US dollar and the South African rand, many of Coltart’s employees could not even afford the cost of their transport to work. Now schools are open once again and an education system that 20 years ago was the envy of Africa is gradually returning to life.

Dozens of people at the concert want to shake Coltart’s hand or have a word. Many white Zimbabweans see him as a figure of stability in a deeply uncertain world. When we speak at his suburban house the next morning though, he immediately makes it clear that he is not in government to represent the white minority.

As he points out, the electorate in his Bulawayo constituency is 95 per cent black, and he has tough words for anyone who suggests Mugabe is entirely to blame for Zimbabwe’s breakdown.

“Whites need to understand the role they have played in bringing about this current regime,” he says. “Rhodesia in the 1950s was charting a rational, liberal, democratic path and then along came Ian Smith with policies that were pretty close to South African apartheid.

“We had 20 years of Rhodesian Front Rule and then 30 years under Zanu-PF, and it’s only now that we are beginning to emerge from an authoritarian nightmare.”

The cause of Zimbabwe’s beleaguered commercial farmers is another issue on which Coltart chooses his words carefully. Since 2002, the majority of white farmers have been forcibly evicted from their lands by so-called war veterans. Any farmers hoping an MDC government would simply turn the clock back will be disappointed.

At the gala concert, I met a white farmer who lost his land in 2002. Now working as a janitor at a Bulawayo school, he is bitter, his wife still tearful at the memory of their eviction. Where does the MDC’s policies leave them?

“We believe in the rule of law”, replies Coltart, “which means that property rights are sacrosanct. If farmers can’t be returned to their land, then they must be compensated. The problem is that this country is well-nigh bankrupt.”

Coltart was a law student in Cape Town when Zimbabwe became independent in 1980. Like many young former Rhodesians, he eagerly returned home, encouraged by Robert Mugabe’s promises of a new, multiracial republic.

Within three years the dream had turned sour. Coltart found himself representing victims of the Gukurahundi, the tribal war in which Mugabe’s 5th Brigade massacred as many as 20,000 Matabeles – a genocide that many western politicians found it expedient to ignore.

His role in exposing brutal human rights abuses ultimately led him towards the often dangerous world of Zimbabwean politics.

He was first elected as an MDC MP in 2000. Since then his own party has split into two rival factions, a move he describes as “the greatest possible gift” to Zanu-PF.

Despite its disparate membership, though, the coalition seems to be working. “Cabinet is tense but functional,” says Coltart.

He places the Zanu-PF politicians with whom he works in three different groups.

“There are the moderates, who support more rational economic policies and are prepared to contemplate loss of power. Then there are those who don’t like the power-sharing agreement, but when push comes to shove, don’t want to destroy the country. I put Mugabe in that group.

“Then you have the hardliners, often corrupt and guilty of crimes against humanity. They are 20 years younger than Mugabe – terrified of losing his protection and of the loss of power democracy will mean for them.”

Mugabe’s official portrait hangs in shops and offices and hotels across Zimbabwe, but it’s an old photograph, taken soon after independence.

“Even now many Africans see him as an icon of the struggle against colonialism and apartheid. We have very poor information flows in Africa, so most people don’t know about the catastrophic situation he has brought to bear in Zimbabwe. But he is 86 and, while he’s astonishingly sprightly, he turns 87 next February and time marches on.”

There is also the issue of what would happen to Mugabe should he stand down as president.

“We’ll need some form of amnesty for corruption and crimes against humanity,”Coltart says. “We are not going to move forward if Mugabe believes he is going to end up in the Hague or before a Zimbabwean court.”

As we finish talking, I remark to the senator that Zimbabweans seem far more optimistic than I had expected. I suggest there is hope in the sight of a multiracial choir of smartly uniformed schoolchildren singing Vivaldi’s Gloria. Proof at least that Zimbabwe’s education system is working. Coltart nods slowly, “but let me stress, like everything else here, education is hanging by a thread. It’s only narrowly survived the calamity our nation has been through over the past decade.”

Radio VOP

10 June 2010

Harare, June 10, 2010 – The locally based Zimbabwe Warriors will play at Japan in a hastily arranged international friendly in George, South Africa Thursday. The match will start at 1pm.

The game, which was cancelled on Monday when it emerged that the Japanese preferred to play Mozambique.

Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya, who is in South Africa as part of a Zimbabwe football leadership delegation ahead of the FIFA Congress, battled hard on Wednesday to secure the friendly international for the Warriors. The Warriors left for South Africa last night.

“We are glad to announce that after intensive consultations with our partners we can announce that our Warriors will take on another term that will play at the 2010 World Cup finals in an international friendly,” said Rushwaya.

“We were disappointed when it was announced that Mozambique would take our slop because we remained convinced that we did everything according to expectations and indicated that we were ready for the game,” Rushwaya said.

The Warriors will take on their Japanese opponents at Quillington Sports Park in George.

She said that although the Japanese Football Association was funding the whole trip, Zimbabwe had also invested some money into the country’s junior development programmes.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe took their first step in engaging a foreign coach when the government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Germany government.

The MoU is set to be signed by the Minister of Sports Culture David Coltart and the German Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Abrecht Conze on Thursday.

The vacancy of Warriors coach became available on May 3 following the resignation of Sunday “Mhofui” Chidzambwa who moved to South Africa’s Free State Stars.

The signing of the MoU is set to bring Klaus-Dieter Pagles (60). He is expected in the country in August this year. Under the government-to-government agreement between the Harare and Berlin Pagles could become the new Warriors coach.

The German schoolteacher was in Zimbabwe for a fact-finding mission on who to improve local football last year.

The football mother body, ZIFA, do not have the money to hire a foreign coach and this government initiative is their only option to tie up an expatriate.

This is the second that the Zimbabwe will benefit from government-to-government. The late Reinhard Fabisch was engaged under the same agreement and coached the popular Dream Team 1992, which almost qualified for the 1994 USA World Cup after being beaten by Cameroon in the qualifiers.

SQUAD:

E. Sibanda, W. Arubi, A. Sadiki, M. Mwanjali, K. Banda, Z. Ngodzo, G. Mapemba, Q. Amini, A. Rambanapasi, L. Mtizwa, R. Zhuwawo, W. Katsande, B. Ncube, B. Marere, N. Mushekwi, C. Malajila, E. Gwekwerere, G. Zhokinyi, T. Rusike, R. Mteki, G. Banda

Herald

10 June 2010

By Takudzwa Chitsiga

Harare — MARTIN RAPHAEL RATEIWA is the new president of the Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association.

He was ushered into the post at the ZPGA annual meeting at Nomads.

Rateiwa was unopposed, showing the magnitude of the support and confidence that the constituency had in his leadership, and he will replace Obed Dube.

Dube is now a member of the Sports Commission board.

“I’m looking forward to working well with all the stakeholders and overseeing a new era in golf administration,” said Rateiwa “I’m happy with the confidence that everyone has shown in me.”

The ZPGA patron, David Coltart, the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, couldn’t attend the annual meeting because of other commitments.

Angus Mackenzie and Aiden Mhere will be the vice-presidents on a two-year term.

Joe Sithole is the secretary/treasurer.

Manicaland province will have Fred Chatora as its president with Daniel Chimeda leading Matabeleland.

The two vice-presidents — Angus Ma-ckenzie and Aiden Mhere — will represent Harare and Midlands respectively.

The selection criteria of juniors who will represent the country in the Zone Six and the All-Africa golf championships was also discussed.

Royal Harare will host the Zimbabwe Amateur.

The ZPGA also discussed the bid to host the 2012 All-Africa Golf Championships where the country will likely battle Ivory Coast for the right to stage the tournament.

Swaziland will host the 2012 edition of the tournament.

Herald

10 June 2010

By Eddie Chikamhi

ZIMBABWE’S dream run in the Micromax Cup came to an end yesterday when they crashed to a nine-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in the final of this Tri-Series tournament at Harare Sports Club.

Pre-match analysis of this final from experts had centred on the significance of winning the toss with the team that wins virtually guaranteed of victory.

And, as what has been the case in the matches in the series at Harare Sports Club, the big blow was dealt when Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura lost the toss.

As expected, Tillekeratne Dilshan sent Zimbabwe in to bat and, as expected, it was an uphill task for the hosts.

The Harare Sports Club wicket has been kind to the fielding team in the morning, offering assistance to both the seamers and the spinners and this was again the case yesterday.

Hamilton Masakadza, one of the key players in Zimba-bwe’s good run to the final, only scored four runs, his partner Brendan Taylor — the best batsman for the hosts in the series — appeared set for another big score but then fell to a stunning catch.

In the end, it was Tatenda Taibu who stood alone among the ruins and his superb effort, good enough to have contributed to a victory on another day, was an innings in a failed cause.

A masterly century from the tourists’ stand-in captain Tillekeratne Dilshan sealed the hosts’ fate after Zimbabwe put on a subdued batting performance earlier in the day.

Zimbabwe struggled to put runs on the board as they crashed to 199 all out in 49 overs.

Sri Lanka played with much intent and great sense of purpose and deserved the victory that made up for the eight-wicket defeat they suffered at the hands of Zimbabwe on Monday.

The victory earned them the winners’ trophy that was presented by the Minister of Education and Sports David Coltart and Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe.

Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura said he was not pleased by the result but praised the team for their commitment in the series.

“Sri Lanka bowled well and we just needed to apply ourselves. We had played some good cricket throughout the series and I think we have to reflect more on the tournament as a whole than to concentrate on today’s result alone,” said Chigumbura.

Opening batsman Taylor, who scooped the man-of-the- match award three times during the tournament, was rewarded with the man-of-the-series award sponsored by Royal Stag to the tune of US$3 000.

Taylor had been enjoying splendid form during the tournament, which saw him finishing as the second highest run scorer behind Dilshan.

“It’s very satisfying to get where we are. Unfortunately, we didn’t back it up in the final but we are pleased with how we have gone about it.

“Not just myself but others have done well. I am probably more relaxed in this series. Opening is new to me. I haven’t done it for a while. It’s nice to play with a good bunch of people,” said Taylor.

But Zimbabwe found the going tough from the start yesterday losing opener Masakadza for four runs in the fifth over, with only a paltry 11 runs to the team’s credit as the batsmen struggled with the Sri Lanka bowling led by Nuwan Kulasekera and Dilhara Fernando.

It was also a disappointing day for Taylor who could only manage 19 runs from 22 deliveries before he was caught by Thilan Samaraweera from a Fernando delivery, to leave Zimbabwe reeling with only 29 runs on the scoreboard.

The Zimbabwe batsmen just could not find their way and had to consume 166 balls to reach the 100 mark.

Former captain Taibu, who came in at number three, made a significant contribution with 71 runs and helped Zimbabwe lift their score from 49 to 139 in a key fourth wicket partnership with Greg Lamb (37).

The partnership hauled 90 runs before Taibu was caught at point by Chamara Kapugedera off the bowling of Fernando.

Zimbabwe lost wickets regularly from then on and the dismissal of Charles Coventry in the 43rd over ended any hopes of Zimbabwe scoring a respectable total past the 200 mark with a weak tail still to bat.

Chris Mpofu was the last man to go when he was run out as Zimbabwe tottered to 199 all out in 49 overs.

But there will be plenty of questions about Zimbabwe’s tacticsm especially their decision not to take the batting powerplay when Chigumbura, and then Coventry, came in to bat.

Fernando was the pick of the Sri Lankans with three wickets for 36 runs in nine overs while Jeevan Mendis and Ajantha Mendis had two wickets apiece.

The Asians did not have to shed too much sweat in chase of the target as they raced to 203 for the loss of one wicket.

The only wicket to fall was that of Upul Tharanga who was dismissed in the 26th over when he was run out.

But the damage had already been done as they had plundered 160 runs for the first wicket with Dilshan, who was voted man of the match, leading from the front.

The Sri Lanka skipper punished the Zimbabwe bowlers in an innings that yielded an unbeaten 108 runs from the 102 balls he faced.

Dinesh Chandimal was unbeaten at 16.

Herald

10 June 2010

By Ellina Mhlanga

ZIMBABWE and Germany have signed a Memo-randum of Understanding for the development of the country’s football as part of the European nation’s support for sport here.

The pact was signed between the Germany Embassy here in Harare and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart and the German Embassy’s first secretary Matthias Schuhmacher signed the Memorandum of Understanding.

This will see Zimbabwe engaging a Germany coach Klaus-Dieter Pagels to help in its football development programmes.

Pagels will come to Zimbabwe in August for a period of two years and will provide technical expertise in youth football where he will be instrumental in the development of an all-year youth league ranging from Under-11 to Under-19 age groups.

He will work with women’s football with a lot of emphasis placed on the promotion and inspiration of school girl soccer through tournaments at their level.

Pagels will also assist in the development of Five-A-Side football and the training and development of coaches and referees.

The Germany coach will also be involved in administration of the sport.

Coltart said there was a big need to invest in sport as it plays a vital role in the development of the country’s economy.

“My ministry is concerned with the development of sport and realises the need to equip the sector so as to make it realise its potential as a source of economic development,” said Coltart.

He said sport, especially football, needs support through the availing of technical expertise besides the usual financial assistance tranches.

“Sport, especially soccer, needs to be resourced not only through the injection of finances, but through the availing of technical expertise to increase its developmental programmes and its reach to the grassroots in our society.

“The future and sustainability of soccer can only be in developing a strong developmental, broad based, inclusive youth policy.

“Without a foundation for soccer the nation is least likely to see its teams taking part in future world, continental and regional tournaments.

“It is in the pursuance of the above that the Government of Zimbabwe through the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture has decided to partner with the Federal Republic of Germany through the GTZ to partner and develop both the in-school and out-of-school football in Zimbabwe.

“GTZ has undertaken to provide technical expertise in the person of a football expert seconded to Zifa’s Soccer Development Department from the German Football Association,” said Coltart.

Zifa were commissioned by the ministry to work hand-in-hand with the Department of International Relations of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, Frankfurt/Main.

“Further, it is imperative on me to clarify that this expert does not come to MoESAC and Zifa as a coach for the national team. His role is to oversee the development of the sport from grassroots level.

“Zifa should not derail these sport development efforts at any time as it is in the interest of the future of soccer that they see to it that the efforts succeed,” added Coltart.

Zifa board member in charge of competition, Benedict Moyo, applauded the government for its support.

“We want to thank the government for according us a second chance to have a dance with the German technical assistance,

“That is what we were looking for because when we came into office we knew that we were going to be judged by the performance of national teams.

“With our financial status engaging a foreign coach was always going to be difficult but now we have a Germany coach coming and he is not coming as a national coach but he is coming to assist all coaches, all age groups from the juniors to the seniors,” said Moyo.

Moyo said there was going to be a link now from the junior to the senior level.

“Now there is going to be no age cheating because we will now have a to monitor all that.

“He will also be involved in talent identification and come up with necessary developmental structures and once he does that our soccer will go up.

“We want to develop our own culture of football,” said Moyo.

Women’s football chairperson Mavis Gumbo said the move was a major boost to women’s football that has over the past years struggled to come up with sustainable developmental structures.

“I am so excited and this is something good for the girl child. It is a very big boost to women football.

“It just came at the right time and is going to help us a lot because we are restructuring from zonal level,” said Gumbo.

Herald

7 June 2010

Harare — PROSPECTIVE candidates for the November 2010 Ordinary and Advanced Level examinations will be required to pay a late registration fee of US$5 per subject, the Government has announced adding there would be no extension to the May 28 deadline.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart and the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council on Friday issued statements dismissing reports that there was confusion surrounding the registration deadline.

Minister Coltart said needy pupils under Beam were the “only” ones to get Government assistance while those who failed to register by the stipulated date would be required to pay an extra US$5 per subject as penalty for late registration.

“There is no confusion at all and we have not extended anything. The position is the deadline expired on May 28 and we are sticking to that.

“Only students already under Beam would benefit from the State, not everyone. If students are not under the programme they should pay US$5 penalty fee per subject. For efficiency purposes we cannot always continue extending registration each year and that is the reason why we gave parents a lengthy period to look for fees,” he said.

Minister Coltart said the state of the economy meant parents should strive to educate their children.

“Because of a tight fiscal squeeze, Government can only pay for orphans and other vulnerable students. Parents should devise methods to ensure their children write examinations,” he said.

Minister Coltart said the Government was doing enough by subsidising the students’ registration fees compared to Cambridge examinations.

Ordinary and Advanced Level pupils are required to pay US$10 and US$20 per subject respectively.

Zimsec public relations manager Mr Ezekiel Pasipamire added: “There is no deadline extension but there is a normal facility always afforded to candidates registering for the November examinations.

“Students must register through the late entry registration process whereby they have to pay a penalty fee.

“As far as Zimsec is concerned, there is no confusion with regard to the registration process as centres, parents, guardians and candidates were fully aware of the registration deadline.”

Mr Pasipamire said the examination body was still studying the registration levels and would soon announce the total number of registered candidates.

Last year, thousands of prospective candidates failed to sit for their examinations owing to “exorbitant” fees.

It is highly likely that the same scenario could be experienced this year.

7 June 2010

By Students Solidarity Trust (Solidary)

General Comment

Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education is still reeling in a myriad of problems hinged on underfunding by the government.

Provision of education is universally the prime responsibility of the government yet the current inclusive government has a lackadaisical approach to the everyday challenges in the sector emanating largely from underfunding. Yester year problems, the very problems associated with the rudimentary era of Zimbabwe dollar “burning” of money and the well documented political turmoil persist. They include unaffordable tuition fees; closure of campus residence at the University of Zimbabwe, a mundane soldierly student funding cadetship scheme, heavy handedness of ‘law’ enforcement agents when reacting to students’ protests, dilapidation of learning and research infrastructure; shortages of qualified lecturers, reference books, computers, stationary for administrative use and limited access to internet. Minister Mudenge of Higher and Tertiary Education is conspicuous with his silence and absence in spear-heading an all stakeholder collective initiative towards the resolution of the challenges faced by higher tertiary education as is being done by his counter part in the Ministry of Education Sports, Arts and Culture Senator David Coltart through the Education Transition Fund that caters for basic education.

MEDIA WATCH
Examinations
As the deadline for examinations loomed, there was chaos at some schools owing to the decision by some school authorities in Bulawayo to move the closing date for registration forward by a week. The Chronicle of May 18 reported that school authorities argued that they needed time to sort out the registration forms before sending them to Harare. This begs the question as to how centralised the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council [ZIMSEC] is and whether their provincial and district offices are of no use where examination fees are concerned. On average students write at least 8 subjects at Ordinary Level with each subject costing USD 10. Advanced Level students paid USD 20 for their subjects which should be at least 3. The Advanced Level students also have to pay USD 15 for a compulsory English Communication course. Several years of little economic activity have resulted in many parents unable to pay these fees due to several factors such as unemployment and very low salaries they are getting from government and the private sector. They therefore live from hand to mouth and any arbitrary shift in dates will surely throw them off course where budgets are concerned.

College Watch
The rise in sexually transmitted infections in colleges has led to calls for more information to be provided to students on sexual and reproductive health. The Herald of May 17 quotes Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team [SAYWHAT], as revealing that 65% of students in tertiary institutions did not have adequate information on sexual and reproductive health. The research also highlights the little attention given to women’s sanitary wear as they are using rugs from campus bed mattresses and old pieces of cloth as sanitary wear because retailed products were beyond their reach. Due to lack of resources within the education system, the women’s sanitary wear has either fallen off the agenda or is now very low down on the authorities’ agenda of revamping education. However, this may have a long-term effect as several young women were now susceptible to side effects and cancers associated with using some of the materials noted above.