Tino Mutombodzi departs after being dismissed during the second day of the second Test match at Harare Sports Club yesterday

BY Kevin Mapasure

ZIMBABWE took two wickets to leave odds even following the second day of the second cricket Test against Sri Lanka as the tourists finished on 122 at stumps after bad light forced early stoppage with eight overs still to be bowled.

Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews will resume on 19 and 4 respectively as Sri Lanka look to eat into the deficit which stood at 284 overnight.

Zimbabwe seamer Donald Tiripano retained figures of 1 for 5 after bowling nine maidens in his 12 over spell.

Carl Mumba, who shared the new ball with Tiripano, bowled nine overs at the expense of 23 overs without a wicket while Victor Nyauchi was given 11 overs managing four maidens and conceding 17 runs.

Zimbabwe will be kicking themselves that the situation could have been a lot better for them after they fluffed two chances on the field.

Prince Masvaure spilled Kusal Mendis who had scored just one run with Sri Lanka’s total on 96 for 1 off the bowling of Sikanda Raza.

Tiripano, who was particularly efficient with the ball, somehow lost sight of the ball before it dropped just in front of him, again off the bowling of Raza.

It was Raza who had given Zimbabwe the breakthrough when he trapped Dimuth Kuranaratne lbw on 44.

94 for 1 became 104 for 2 after Tiripano was rewarded for his efforts, inducing an edge on Oshada Fernando (44) with keeper Chakabva taking the catch.

Earlier, Lasith Embuldeniya took three wickets in the morning session to help wrap up Zimbabwe’s first innings on 406 after they had resumed on an overnight score of 352 for 6.

Having struggled on the first day of the Test, Embuldeniya returned to hit back as he finished on 4 for 182.

Regis Chakabva was expected to take the leading role in pushing Zimbabwe’s score towards their minimum target of 450, but he fell on his overnight score of 31.

Tino Mutombodzi pushed on to make 33 runs while getting some assistance from the bottom three who offered some resistance till Zimbabwe were bowled just before the lunch break.

Mutombodzi was eventually trapped leg before by Dhananja de Silva and with his departure, Zimbabwe’s hopes of reaching their target disappeared.

Sri Lanka openers negotiated the first three overs in the first session with minimum fuss.

This morning the tourists will be looking to come out and work their way towards Zimbabwe’s total before they can think about building a lead of their own.

Zimbabwe will be encouraged by the chances they got yesterday and their target will be to try and put their guests under pressure with early wickets.

BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE

EMMANUEL Bawa struck an emphatic unbeaten century to help the Zimbabwe Under-19 side beat Canada by 95 runs in the ICC World Cup Plate quarterfinal in Potchefstroom, South Africa yesterday.

Zimbabwe progressed to the plate semi-final where they will play Sri Lanka, who beat Nigeria in the other quarterfinal, on Friday.

Batting at number seven, Bawa scored 107 off 95 balls as Zimbabwe posted a huge 271 for 7 total after winning the toss and choosing the bat first.

Bawa enjoyed an unbeaten 130-run eighth wicket partnership with number eight batsman Gareth Chirawu who scored 54 runs off just 45 balls to steer the team to a big target for Canada.

Middle order batsman Taurayi Tugwete had chipped in with another half century earlier on in the innings.

Zimbabwe found themselves in a bit of a rut with five wickets down for just 54 runs, but the middle order produced big performances to change the tide of the game.

Needing 272 to win, Canada lost two wickets with just two runs on the board and were soon reeling at 69/5.

Eventually they were bowled out for 176, Sakhumuzi Ndlela, Chirawu and Nkosilathi Nungu grabbing two wickets each.

Captain Wesley Madhevere, Milton Shumba and Tugwete contributed a wicket each as Zimbabwe romped to a convincing victory.

Bawa was voted the man of the match.

Manuel Marquez Roca

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

ZIFA faces a tough decision as the executive committee meets in the capital today to deliberate on the man who will take up the Warriors job which fell vacant after Sunday Chidzambga quit last year in unclear circumstances.

Several coaches from across the globe applied for the biggest coaching job in the country, but the Zifa technical team — headed by board member Brighton Malandule — has whittled down the number to four, with Leicester City academy coach Alistair Heath, Spanish coach Manuel Marquez Roca, Dutchman Erol Akbay and former interim coach Joey Antipas making the cut.

Serbian and former Uganda coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic who had been widely reported as having shown interest was not considered because he had not applied for the job.

However, the Zifa hierarchy faces a herculean task in coming up with the best candidate who can take the Zimbabwean game forward.

While the executive committee is keen to appoint the best coach, the need for cost-cutting measures might inform their decision about the man to be entrusted with the big post.
Then there is the small matter of who among the four has better appreciation of Zimbabwean football.

While the likes of Heath and Roca might be good candidates, none of them understands local football better than Akbay, something that could give him the edge.

The Dutchman had a stint with Bulawayo football giants Highlanders before taking up the job at Ngezi Platinum with whom he parted ways with late last year following inconsistent results.

It’s a big decision which the men and women at the helm of Zimbabwean football will have to take today after a long and anxious wait.

The successful coach is expected to be announced on Friday after he has been spoken to and accepted the job. His unveiling has been scheduled for early next week.

The local football leadership is trying to avoid a repeat of last time when former board member Gift Banda allegedly made a unilateral decision in the appointment of national team coaches — something that eventually cost him his position in the executive. The executive has resolved to ensure every member has an input in the selection of the candidate so that the entire executive rather than an individual would be accountable.

The Warriors have a busy calendar this year, with the African Nations Championships (Chan) finals, the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and 2022 World Cup qualifiers all set to begin in the next few months.

Zimbabwe have back-to-back Afcon Group H qualifying matches against Algeria on March 23 and 31 before travelling to Botswana on June 9. They will complete their group campaign with a home match against Zambia on September 8.

The Warriors currently occupy second position on the group standings, and will need to at least beat Botswana and Zambia to be assured of qualifying for the Afcon finals, to be staged in Cameroon next year.

They will also be involved in the 2022 Qatar World Cup second round qualifiers which begin in October.

Zimbabwe are in Group G which comprises of giants Ghana, South Africa’s Bafana Bafana, and Ethiopia.

The winner of the group will advance to the third and final round to join other nine winners from the other groups.

Ten second round group winners play home and away matches over two legs with the five winners qualifying for the finals in Qatar in 2022.

Guest Column: Paidamoyo Muzulu

ZIMBABWE has had a long history of violence. In fact, it was a country raped by colonialists using violence in 1890 and gained its independence nearly a century later in 1980 through a violent liberation struggle.

In the period in between, courts were subjected to political pressure and gave politically correct judgments, for example the Madzimbamuto case.

Even after independence, the courts could not stand in the way of then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe between 1982 and 1987 during Gukurahundi massacres.

Zapu leaders paid the ultimate price, dying in prison without trial as judges could not pass judgments that could anger Mugabe and his henchmen.

Then Zapu leader and former Vice-President Joshua Nkomo was coerced into signing the Unity Accord in 1987 to save his comrades who were rotting in prison and the majority of the rural folk in Midlands and Matabeleland provinces who had become collateral damage to Zanu PF’s war to create a one-party State.

However, the 1990s saw a new breed of jurists like Wilson Sandura joining the bench and living up to their oaths to deliver justice.

Sandura became an enigma among the general populace for his judgments that more often called out the State when it abused its power.

He became what many would refer to as a dissenting judge at the Supreme Court. Political correctness was not one of his personal traits. Reading his written judgments is a pleasure to most who love law.

The ex-parte judgment by Judge President Justice George Chiweshe on the constitutionality of the November 2017 military coup is still being debated among lawyers and many are not convinced that the judgment was legally sound.

It is seen in some circles as a sanitisation of the coup by the courts. It is interesting that the arguments put forward for the case are still scant more than two years after the judgment.

Last Friday, a judgment by Justice Christopher Dube-Banda in the case pitting Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga against his estranged wife, Marry, was a breath of fresh air.

It was a case that many were interested in to see if the courts could still be independent in the new dispensation.

Chiwenga had chucked his wife out of their Borrowdale Brooke mansion and took custody of their three minor children without a court order.

In addition to this, the former army general had deployed Presidential Guard officers at the house and their Orchid Gardens business premises in Domboshawa to keep Marry out.

“Whatever the reasons are, I do not agree that a spouse may be removed from the matrimonial home outside the parameters of the law.

“To my mind, she may move out of such a home either by her consent or after conclusion of due process. She cannot be refused entrance to the matrimonial home by members of the military.

“In fact, it is unacceptable and anathema to the constitutional values of this jurisdiction that the military may be used to settle a matrimonial dispute.

“This is frightening and undermines the values inherent in our Constitution, which are the rule of law, supremacy of the Constitution, gender equality, fundamental human rights and freedoms and good governance,” Justice Dube-Banda said.

He added: “Section 74 of the Constitution provides that no person may be evicted from their home without an order of court made after considering all the relevant circumstances. What happened to applicant is eviction as envisaged in section 74 of the Constitution. She was unlawfully refused access to the matrimonial home.

“What happened to the applicant must be a cause of fear and concern to all law-abiding citizens, wherever they are and their station in life.”

This was a strong censure to the VP. However, for some reason, he decided to appeal against the judgment, with his lawyers arguing Justice Dube-Banda misdirected himself.

Reading the judgment slowly, one cannot help but understand the rationale behind the court’s decision.

Probably Chiwenga is doing a pre-emptive strike on the possible ramifications of Justice Dube-Banda judgment.

The long and short of the judgment is that Chiwenga abused his position, and self-helped himself, which is not permissible at law.

More worrying is the fact that Chiwenga is a whole Vice-President and took oath to uphold the Constitution — not some sections, but the whole of the supreme law.

In other jurisdictions, his suitability for office would be under scrutiny.

There can be no better way than conclude in Justice Dube-Banda’s own words: “There cannot be in a constitutional democracy a law for the powerful and a law for the weak. It is in such instances that this court must come to the rescue of the weak and down trodden.

“It is in such instances that this court must stand firm and apply the law without fear or favour.”

How many on the bench can raise their heads, hand to the heart and say the same when faced with a case where the powerful are before them as litigants?

The courts can be the last frontier for people’s rights and we carefully watch how long they can stand the scrutiny.

Paidamoyo Muzulu is a journalist and writes here in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on muzulu.p@gmail.com

Editorial Comment

RECENTLY, after President Emmerson Mnangagwa took a peek at the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God pastors’ guiding principles he, like Biblical Saul on his way to Damascus, had an interesting revelation that saw him proclaim thus: “Archbishop (Ezekiel) Guti, what you have read for your pastors has motivated me; I will read this to my ministers. They have been acting out of line lately and this has taken a toll on development. They should be honest and hardworking, for the scripture says we should eat of our own sweat. They should also seek further knowledge as well as live humble lives.”

But one just hopes that, for once, the President does what he threatens to do because past experience has crudely taught us that the man never really means what he says. In fact, this is not the first time that he has moaned about his lousy Cabinet. This is, in fact, the umpteenth time and nothing has come out of his idle threats.

The President’s remarks on the calibre of ministers come as no surprise really given the extraordinary decisions his Cabinet ministers make after spending precious long hours deliberately on much ado about nothing. One such decision is their collective wisdom to set up a roller meal committee to monitor the distribution of the now scarce staple commodity.

Honestly, it is quite flabbergasting that whole grown-ups – who we thought were the cream in terms of leadership, collectively decide to form a roller meal committee in a country that is hardly productive. So the committee wants to just sit there and monitor the distribution of mealie-meal whose origins it does not even know when the government is currently clueless on where to source the maize to make the roller meal.

These guys’ thinking is quite incredible! Should these ministers not be making better use of their time and minds crafting strategies that spur this country into being productive?
Should the ministers not have instead set up an irrigation committee that would make sure much of the idle water in our dams is fully utilised? Should the ministers not have instead set up a committee to make sure that everything is in place for the coming winter season so that the country grows enough wheat to help reduce the importation of the grain?

Why is Mnangagwa even telling us about how useless his ministers are? Why can’t he just fire the whole lot and find others? We are pretty sure there are many capable leaders out there who are simply not being given the chance to excel.

The President should set an example with this lot so that we may start to take him seriously about his promises to make this country a middle-income economy by 2030. Otherwise, at this rate, Zimbabwe will be a Stone Age economy by 2030.

BY CHELSEA MUSAFARE

ONE of the pioneers of the urban grooves music, Leonard Mapfumo yesterday dismissed claims that the genre had died a natural death with Zimdancehall having become more dominant in recent years, saying the music brand was still alive.

Mapfumo, alongside David Chifunyise, Roy and Royce Gomo, Plaxedes Wenyika, Roki, Mafriq, Stunner, Sanii Makhalima, Nox Guni, Tererai Mugwadi and Maskiri were among the pioneers of the genre under the stewardship of prolific producer Delani Makhalima.

Although many of the pioneers have ventured into other pursuits or branched out into other genres, Mapfumo told NewsDay Life & Style that he, and a few others, were still pushing the genre.

“I think working with different producers, new artistes and just being around creative people has helped me to keep me strong and creative. I think the exchange of ideas and the willingness to learn also helped me,” he said.

The Dreamstar Zimbabwe Talent Show artistic director said producing music that resonated with fans had also given him staying power.

“I have written music that touches every single aspect of life but the songs that have made it big are the love songs. I think it’s because they are easy to relate to,” he said.

Mapfumo said his music has always been centred on relationships with the words crafted by the talented artiste conveying messages between lovebirds.

He said he was set to release a track titled No Lie next month, featuring DRC’s talented young artiste, Novy Kays.

Mapfumo’s discography includes R & L (2005), NaMapfumo (2007), The Journey (2010) and The Road to Israel (2014).

SOUNDTRACK: Winstone Antonio

IF a movie chronicles the journeys by some sons and daughters of departed Zimbabwean music legends, its script would not make the dead smile — at least not all of them.

The movie would obviously feature Selmor Mtukudzi (pictured), the daughter of the late music super star Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi and Peter “Young Igwe” Moyo, son of the late legendary sungura musician, Tongai.

It should also feature Tendai and Morgan, sons of sungura kingpin Leonard Dembo; Tendai Chimombe, the eldest daughter of James; Biggie Tembo Jr, the son of Bhundu Boys frontman Biggie and Afro-pop singers Ammara and Chengeto, daughters of the legendary Andy Brown.

Some of these sons and daughters of the late music legends have disappointed after failing dismally to uphold their fathers’ music legacies despite widespread sympathy from fans.

On November 11, 2011, the clock had just ticked 11pm, a fully packed Sports Diner, (now defunct), was a house of emotions as a very young looking and unpolished Peter “Young Igwe” Moyo, went on stage at a show dubbed Quad 11 organised in honour of his father.

Some wept as the Young Igwe, despite glaring inability to fill in his father’s shoes, was feted as a true heir to the Utakataka Express throne.

About nine years down the line, the jury is out. The Young Igwe has not lived up to public expectations.

Observers have openly said the Young Igwe “survived” musically because of sympathy from both fans and arts promoters during his formative days when he took over the reins at Utakataka Express, before he was weaned off by the promoters.

The son to the Samanyemba hitmaker had four of his albums failing to take the industry by storm, while off the stage he has made headlines, not for his musical exploits, but for bed-hopping errands and he doesn’t give a hoot about his critics, choosing to argue “I am not my father and don’t compare me to him”.

Selmor, the daughter of the music icon, Tuku, who breathed his last at a local hospital on January 23 last year, faces a similar litmus test.

The undisputed heiress to the Tuku music throne, Selmor, has a tough task ahead as she launches her latest album, the 11-track Dehwe ReNzou, at RM Garden Hall, Harare Agricultural Showgrounds exactly a year after Tuku’s death.

Although she has been in the industry for long, with five other albums under her sleeve, it is this latest offering which has generated a lot of interest and is set to answer many questions, chief among them whether, just like the Young Igwe, she was banking on sympathy of her father’s legacy.

The album will be her first offering after her father’s death, and being endorsed by Mtukudzi’s multitude of fans as the bona fide heiress to the Tuku music throne.

Music fans can only hope that the talented artiste has done her homework well so that she will not join the list of those offspring who think their fathers’ fans are obliged to support and sympathise with them.

The album was recorded at Steve Dyer’s studios in Johannesburg, South Africa after the death of her father.

While Selmor might appear at ease, without doubt, the hard-to-please Tuku fans will be eager to listen to the album which, according to her camp, is a fusion of afro-jazz and traditional local beats like katekwe and jiti. Has she brewed a pot good enough to keep her father’s music alive?

So far, Selmor has proved to be comfortable in her new role and undermining her capacity is unjustified while also failing to remind her of how big the Tuku brand is would not be advisable.

We can only hope that Selmor put this into consideration when she was in the studio.

Privileged to be joined by the original Black Spirits band members including Piki Kasamba, Never Mpofu and Sam Mataure, this, no doubt, attracts the attention of not only music fans, but also stakeholders in the world of showbiz.

With the involvement of these talented original Black Spirits members, with Piki doing the backing vocals and percussion while Mpofu and Mataure play bass and drums, respectively, no doubt a lot is really expected by the fans.

Even Selmor herself has also promised the best quality album production than ever on the project that features songs like Zvine Basa Rei, Uchafinhwa, Tanda Mbizi and Unconditional Love.

If the album, which also features legendary South African musician Vusi “The Voice” Mahlasela on one of the tracks, fails to compete in the cutthroat world of music, then pressure will definitely mount for Selmor in her attempt to keep her father’s music legacy alive.

But Selmor must be allowed to run her own race as she has already said that her father’s shoes are too big to fit. But showbiz can be a cruel industry.

Selmor is on record saying she has worked hard over the years to develop herself into a brand without ever riding on her father’s coattails, urging people not to unfairly compare her with Tuku, but to judge her talents against her fellow female colleagues.

All the best to Selmor and her team that comprise her husband Tendai Manatsa, sister Sandra, publicist Reginald Chapfunga and veteran promoter Josh Hozheri as they launch the album at a ceremony that will also be graced by the king of sungura Alick Macheso and other artistes and stakeholders in the creative sector.

Zima chairman Joseph Nyadzayo (left) gets recognition from Wezhaz Executive Cars CEO Exevia Maoneke and brand ambassador Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa (centre)

BY LIFE & STYLE REPORTER

STAKEHOLDERS in the local arts industry have hailed the Zimbabwe Music Awards (Zima) for its efforts to acknowledge and appreciate local talent following a successful return of the awards after a four-year hiatus.

Speaking at the awards ceremony on Saturday night, Wezhaz Executive Cars chief executive officer Exevia Maoneke said criticism against the awards should be welcome.

“An event of this magnitude always attracts the necessary criticism which is healthy for growth and progress, but we just want to acknowledge Zima for its efforts in arts development,” Maoneke said.

“Recognising the efforts by artistes is essential for growth and we want to thank the men and women behind Zima for their efforts in putting this together.”

Maoneke, whose company sponsored the Best Video award, presented various awards at the event alongside his company’s brand ambassador, radio and TV personality Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa.

Maoneke invited Zima founder and chairman Joseph Nyadzayo to the stage where they presented him with a bottle of wine as a token of appreciation.

“We believe in the potential of the local arts industry and we just want to present this token as a sign of our appreciation and continued commitment to support future editions,” he said.

“We are a wholly indigenous-owned company and we feel obliged to play our part in arts development, hence our acknowledgement of your ongoing efforts.”

Wezhaz Executive Cars brought some pomp to the awards ceremony after they availed their cars to chauffeur-drive some celebrities and dignitaries.

Zimbabwe Music Awards CEO Reason Sibanda, however, called for criticism and public input towards an improved event.

“We have opened our doors to all who want to play their part towards a better Zima. We obviously don’t know everything and we invite you to criticise us. We are not creating cliques but we want to bring about development in the arts through unit of purpose and arts promotion,” he said.

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA

THE 2020 edition of the popular talent search show StarBrite will see contestants conducting research on one of Zimbabwe’s finest ever musicians, the late James Chimombe, and then reproduce his act on stage.

The event — to be held from February 12 to 13 at One Plus One, Longcheng Plaza in Harare — has been dedicated to honour Chimombe on the first day of the finals.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style yesterday, StartBrite executive director, Barney Mpariwa said final contestants will be judged according to their ability to reproduce a vintage Chimombe performance.

“The first day is in dedication to the legend of choice and this time we have chosen to dedicate it to the late James Chimombe. So the contestants have been tasked to do a research on Chimombe and they will then rehearse with a band and will perform live on stage and be judged according to their performances,” he said.

Mpariwa said this year they divided the nation into two regions, with final contestants taken from the northern region (Masvingo, Harare, Mashonaland East and Central) and southern region (Midlands and Matabeleland North and South) to make the 130 that are now in bootcamp ahead of the finals.

Mpariwa said they are now left with 10 singers and three dance groups, who will compete on the first final stage, with contestants having been tasked to compose songs to encourage creativity.

“On the second day, they are also going to have various tasks. The contestants will have to sing for 10 minutes. They have five songs to perform and they have been given a task to compose these songs. Some are doing love songs and others are composing in our native language. This is just to motivate and challenge them to be creative and think outside the box,” he said.

Five finalists will then be chosen to compete on the last day.