The Standard 8 June 2014

10 The Standard June 8 to 14 2014
Comment & Analysis
The Standard
Why is Cuthbert
Dube still at Zifa?
Since Cuthbert Dube assumed office in 2010, the Warriors
have failed to go anywhere far in three Africa Cup of Nations
(Afcon) editions as well as the World Cup.
A record six coaches have taken charge of the Warriors in
the past four years! How absurd.
In Dube, Zimbabwe has a football leader clearly detached
from the game, running affairs of Zifa from his home.
In football, a leader has to be always on the ground to witness
events firsthand and appreciate situations whether
good or bad. That certainly cannot be said about Dube who
does not attend matches that are played less than 10km away
from his home.
Dube was absent at the National Sports Stadium last week
when the Warriors drew 2-2 with Tanzania to gracelessly fall
out of the bid for Morocco 2015. He has not attended most
football matches played in the past four years.
But surprisingly, he had the energy to traverse the length
and breadth of Zimbabwe during his campaign seeking reelection.
He visited most of the country’s provinces to convince
councillors that he is the Messiah of Zimbabwean football.
The gullible councillors bought it and voted him for another
term that has started with this national disaster: bowing
out of the 2015 Afcon qualifier at the first hurdle.
It appears all that mattered to Dube was retaining the Zifa
presidency. While Zimbabwe is mourning failure to qualify
for Afcon, Dube has suddenly found energy to travel to Brazil
for this week’s 64 th Fifa Congress.
Clearly, Zimbabwe needs a soccer president with football
brains, not someone who wants to be in office for personal
aggrandisement.
Zambia Football Association president, Kalusha Bwalya (in black) was pictured training
with the squad in US last week.
Indigenisation
levy uncalled for
Utterances by the Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and
Economic Empowerment, Francis Nhema to the effect
that the few Zimbabweans that are formally employed,
may soon have to pay more taxes in the form of an indigenisation
levy, are frightful.
The minister later said he was joking; but the mere fact
that such an idea found its way into his head is worrying.
Zimbabwean workers are among the most heavily taxed in
the world and further burdening them with a levy to fund
indigenisation projects that largely benefit a few politically
connected individuals would be disastrous.
Think about the plight of the majority of workers whose
salaries remain below the poverty datum line. These can
hardly survive and taking the little income they earn in a
bid to “empower” other people “to create their own wealth”
would be senseless.
We urge Nhema and like-minded ministers to come up with
concrete and sound policies, otherwise Zimbabwe would
slide further into a economic cesspit.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Rein in rogue apostolic sects
The exposé of the alleged
abuse of women and children
by the Johane Masowe
weChishanu apostolic sect led by
one Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani
in Budiriro 2, is just but a tip of
the iceberg. Men’s hiding behind
religion to take advantage of the
vulnerable children and women
has been happening for a long
time, in most cases going unabated.
That these stick-wielding mapositori
had the nerve to treat the
widely feared police to a thorough
beating, that left a number of people
seriously injured, just goes to
show how right these mapositori
think they are.
It shows they have been abusing
women and children for so
Govt should invest in
soccer development
Government should provide
an enabling environment
for the stimulation and promotion
of grassroots soccer development
in the country.
Last week’s early elimination
of the Warriors from the Africa
Cup of Nations by Tanzania
should be a wakeup call for the
government, corporate world and
the entire football fraternity. Zimbabwean
football has gone to the
dogs considering that we allowed
ourselves to be beaten by a team
like Tanzania which is regarded
as minnows in African soccer.
The new minister of Sports and
Culture Andrew Langa gave a
commitment to develop soccer and
other sports after being sworn in
as minister last year in September.
Langa was present at the stadium
when the circus unfolded and like
the rest of us, he left the stadium
with his tail between his legs. His
press conference which he called a
day after Zimbabwe kissed goodbye
to the 2015 Afcon showcase, did
little to address our football woes.
What he said after the game
showed that he is clueless and has
nothing to offer. Why is it that government
failed to support the Warriors
before their trip to Tanzania,
but sought to sponsor Warriors after
they had progressed? Where
was our government when Zifa
and players clashed over the bonuses
prior to last week’s debacle?
We have often witnessed cases
where government officials claim
success whenever our sports
teams or individuals triumph in
their respective sports. The problem
with our sports, especially
soccer, is that our government is
reluctant to invest in the development
of the sport. Those in government
are concerned with staying
in power and protecting their
spaces, neglecting the developmental
aspects of their areas.
It should be noted that grassroots
soccer development is a strategic
policy that should be included
in programmes and activities
under Langa’s ministry. Government
through the Sports and Recreation
Commission (SRC) and
Zifa should readily support any
initiative geared towards soccer
development because of the high
premium placed on football.
long that in their minds, it is normal;
and that is why they felt police
or anyone’s interference was
uncalled for. What is even more
unfortunate is that the victims
(women and children) might no
longer be questioning the abuse
they are subjected to as it is what
they have been socialised to believe
to be the correct order of
things. It would require a lot of
therapy to help the victims recover
from the abuse.
The truth is that there are
more apostolic sects operating in
the very same manner in Zimbabwe.
Women and children are required
to take certain roles that
are meant to turn the men into
some demi-gods, who use their
Minister of Sport and Culture Andrew Langa
Private individuals and corporate
bodies need to support and
collaborate with the government
in the promotion of the growth of
soccer in the country.
Zimbabwe is luckily endowed
wHERE TO
wRITE TO uS
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perceived authority to treat women
and girl children as their subjects,
to do with as they please.
If such gross abuse of human
rights can happen right in
the capital city, can you imagine
what the women and children
that go to similarly operating apostolic
sects in rural areas (most
of which are already highly partriachal
areas) have to contend
with? I think it is time government
reined in so-called churches
that operate on doctrines that
look to women and girl children
as sex objects and a source of
cheap labour. Civil society needs
to start making as much noise
about this as possible.
CM, Mvurwi
with abundant talent, which if
properly harnessed, can put us
on the right pedestal in Africa.
With government and the corporate
world’s assistance, Zimbabwe
can extend her frontiers and
become a super-power in no time
in soccer.
The way our team played last
week was not inspiring at all and
showed that we still have a long
way to go. I don’t see any country
of repute engaging the Warriors
for a friendly match, more
so, I don’t see any European country
taking on board Zimbabwean
players.
Let’s wake up and smell the coffee.
Soccer fan