BY DANIEL NHAKANISO

RISING Zimbabwe cricket star Tarisai Musakanda is facing a hurdle to rebuild his reputation after recently being sacked by Australian club New City for not notifying them after being convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The 25-year-old top order batsman, who moved to New South Wales, Australia, three months ago, recorded a 0.098 reading, almost twice the legal limit, on December 15 before being charged and convicted of a drink driving offence.

After the incident, Musakanda, who has since returned to Zimbabwe after the episode, reportedly did not inform his club about the matter, but told the Albury Local Court in New South Wales that he had consumed the alcohol during the club’s Christmas party.

This enraged New City, who pride themselves as a family-oriented club. The club said at no stage did Musakanda inform the club he had been charged and convicted and they first knew of the matter when an article appeared on The Border Mail’s website.

“Musakanda’s behaviour is not representative of the values we hold dear at the New City Cricket Club. We as a club take the responsible service of alcohol very seriously. Musakanda was only at the club function for a relatively brief time and at no stage was he served alcohol while intoxicated. All our bar volunteers have a responsible service of alcohol qualification,” club president Chris Green said in a statement.

Green said the club was incredibly disappointed and hurt that Musakanda linked the club’s function with his drink driving offence.

“The fact that he didn’t tell us was probably one of the biggest issues, but we would have been there to support him, but the fact he said he did it at our junior Christmas party is just not true and highly damaging,” Green said.

“We have put a lot of work into our junior programme and for that to come out is just not right … it doesn’t align with our values.”

“I went and spoke to him when we terminated his contract and I asked him straight out (about his 0.098 reading) and he told me it wasn’t (done) at the club, he went elsewhere afterwards,” Green said.

Once touted as the future national team captain due to his obvious talent and work ethic, Musakanda has played one Test, 15 one-day internationals and six T20 internationals for Zimbabwe.

The drink driving offence and subsequent acrimonious departure came at a time Musakanda was New City’s highest run scorer in Cricket Albury-Wodonga Provincial competition.

He had 400 runs at an average of 57.14, with one century and three 50s. Green said they were left with no choice, but to sack Musakanda despite his good on-field performances.

“For us this year, it’s been about changing of the culture, not necessarily on-field performances, we think if we get the culture right, players will come and the on-field performances will come over the next two to three years. So when something like this happens, it’s got to be about the culture first and that’s why we have been so strong in our reaction,” he said.

Musakanda is one of the several Zimbabwean cricketers who have recently moved to Australia in search of greener pastures.

Former Zimbabwe opening batsman Solomon Mire has been based in Australia for over a decade. He played for different clubs, including a stint in the lucrative Big Bash League in late 2013.

Mire is now involved in coaching after retiring from international cricket three months ago at the age of 30.

Other Zimbabwean cricketers who have recently moved to Australia include Tinashe Panyangara, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, the Mpariwa brothers Tawanda and Tony, Tafadzwa Tsiga and Taurai Muzarabani.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

ZIMBABWE has not been invited to the United Kingdom-Africa Investment summit opening on Monday next week, dealing another blow to the government’s re-engagement efforts with the international community.

The summit, which is expected to be hosted by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, brings together businesses, governments and international institutions across Africa.

Contacted for comment yesterday, Acting Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, George Charamba played down the snub saying the UK was a sovereign country which could invite anyone for the summit.

“Is it a must that Zimbabwe must attend that summit? UK is a sovereign country and they invited countries that they like to attend that summit. As for the Commonwealth, it is not decided by one country,” Charamba said.

Analysts view the snub as a message to the Zimbabwe government that the diplomatic relations with the UK government were not all that rosy.

UK-based economics professor, Steve Hanke wrote on his Twitter handle that the British government snubbed Zimbabwe because the country did not respect property rights and public safety.

“On January 20, the UK will host the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London. Zimbabwe was not invited. Is Zimbabwe open for business? No! Without strong property rights and public safety, foreign investment is impossible to come by,” Hanke said.

When the late former President Robert Mugabe was ousted in a military coup in November 2017, the UK initially embraced President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration, but recurrent human rights abuses by the Zanu PF government have again strained the two countries’ relations.

Dozens of African heads of state, among them South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, Nigeria’s Muhammadu Buhari and Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta – have confirmed attendance at the London summit being held at the same time as the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

BY SIMBARASHE SITHOLE

ANDY Muridzo’s ‘rebel’ dancer Marbel “Quantum” Bure, who abandoned Jeetaz band last year, has re-joined her old paymaster, NewsDay Life & Style has established.

Quantum is now doubling as a member of Jeetaz and Bark bands, which was formed by a group of rebels who deserted Jeetaz. Although Quantum confirmed the developments, she was not keen to share the details.

“I am doubling (in) my duties, but I am not at liberty to share much with you,” she said.

Muridzo said all Bark band members were welcome to work with him as he now considered himself a father figure to them.

“Bark members are welcome in my band because they are my children. They chose to go their way and as a father I gave them my blessings and whoever is willing to work with me is welcome,” he said.

Bark band acting manager, Fedelis “Famba Nyika” Nyikadzino, confirmed that while Quantum was still their member, she was now working with Jeetaz band on a part-time basis.

“She is still with us, but currently we are on break and she told us that she will be working with our former boss on a part-time basis,” he said. Meanwhile, Jeetaz band will be performing at East Point in Harare every Wednesday.

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA

XTRATIME Entertainment is set to launch a new comedy festival featuring local and international jesters, which will run from August 7 to 9, NewsDay can reveal.

Preparations for the Sekerera Harare International Comedy Festival are already underway.

“We will have a host of Zimbabwean comics based in and outside Zimbabwe performing at the festival. We will also have comedians from the African continent and the world participating at the festival,” Xtratime entertainment director Tongai Mbidzo told NewsDay Life & Style yesterday.

Mbidzo said line-ups and the programme will be released in due course because they were currently negotiating with the targeted comedians.

The festival, to be held annually, is expected to provide local up-and-coming comedians opportunities to showcase their talents.

“This is huge for the Zimbabwean upcoming comedians and the Zimbabwe entertainment scene to be granted an opportunity to showcase Zimbabwean comics and international acts during the three day comedy festival in Harare,” Mbidzo said.

He said a series of comedy shows with Zimbabwean and international comedians will be hosted monthly as a run-up to the festival.

Mbidzo expressed confidentce that the festival will be a success considering their vast experience in hosting comedy shows.

“We are optimistic and confident that the festival will be a huge success and welcomed on the Zimbabwean entertainment scene. We are experienced in the comedy game and its high time we level-up by planting an annual permanent smile on Zimbabweans, hence the Festival name Sekerera,” he said.

Xtratime Entertainment has previously hosted comedy nights in Harare, with some heavyweight comedians, namely Anne Kansiime (Uganda), Barry Hilton (South Africa), John Vlismas (South Africa), Alfred Kainga (USA), Carl Joshua Ncube, Q Dube, Long John, Doc Vikela, Goliath and Goliath (South Africa) Gonyeti, Farhan Esat, Tinaye and Baba Tencen.

by STAFF REPORTER

POLICE have banned an MDC event in Mbare where party leader Nelson Chamisa was today expected to make announcements regarding his position on participation in future talks with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

In a statement, deputy party spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka said police claimed the event could not proceed because they were busy with the schools that are opening this week.

He said the MDC national leadership met and decided against confrontation with the police.

“For fear for their lives against this brutal dictatorship, and given what this regime has done before, we have decided to postpone the Agenda 2020 event to next week on Tuesday at a venue to be announced,” Tamborinyoka said.

“But this does not mean that we are complying with the dictatorship. We have given the regime due notice of all our constitutional activities and they have denied us the chance to exercise our democratic rights.

“This is a peaceful event, a mammoth event on this year’s national calendar that is set to be attended by ordinary people as well as diplomats in which the party will lay to the people its agenda for the year, including its programme of action as well as the party’s programme of activities for the year.”

He said the MDC noted a disturbing trend where the police were routinely proscribing the party’s events and treating the party as a banned organisation.

“We have postponed the event because the regime was budgeting for a clash, for blood and for violence and as a party we will not sacrifice the lives of innocent Zimbabweans,” Tamborinyoka said.

“I reiterate that we are reviewing the position of whether we should continue to comply and co-operate with unjust laws and unjust requirements that are inimical to democracy. We have postponed our event because we do not want any sideshow.
We want to give Zimbabweans a chance to hear the party’s calendar of critical targets for the year that will address the key challenges affecting the ordinary people as well as the party’s plan to rescue the nation out of the current morass.”

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Blessmore Chishaka last night said he would seek clarification from the police regulatory authorities.

Guest column: Reginald T Sibanda

THE African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) has a key role to play in enhancing political, social and economic governance on the continent.

Countries which are not performing well such as Zimbabwe have more to gain from this enhancement.

ACDEG is an important readily available instrument that should be utilised in promoting citizen urgency.

Ensuring that all public decisions are people centred is fundamental to the overall development aspects of a democratic nation.

Citizen urgency cannot be fully achieved through government efforts alone, but through a balance of concerted efforts from the government, private sector actors and civil society organisations (CSOs).

This article calls for the ratification and domestication of the ACDEG by the government of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s ability to develop prior and post the new dispensation era has been stifled by poor political, social and economic governance.

Corruption is the cancer wearing out the ability of public institutions to provide required public goods to citizens.

Development remains distant among social groups with special needs which include women, youths and people living with disabilities.

The level of participation of these groups in political and economic spheres is highly limited.

Their situation is worsened by corruption, which is highest in the public sector and perpetrated by elected officials and senior civil servants.

Women, youths and people living with disabilities are finding it difficult to break through into formal politics.

They have been sidelined to the periphery when it comes to decision-making processes, especially on decisions which have a direct effect on their lives.

Youths in Zimbabwe are victims of manipulation by politicians through adoption of thematic approaches which compromise their future.

The government is urged to intensify citizen participation in political, social and economic governance to empower ordinary people in order for them to actively participate in decision-making, both at local and national levels.

A vibrant community has higher chances of holding public policymakers accountable for their past public policies and election promises.

To promote citizen agency in Zimbabwe, the government is urged to domesticate the ACDEG, which prioritises involvement of groups with special needs into political, social and economic governance.

Article 32 of the charter provides that State parties shall ensure systematic and comprehensive civic education in order to encourage full participation of social groups with special needs in democracy and development processes.

The CSOs’ role and private actors in emancipating marginalised groups to participate in poverty eradication and reducing inequality should be fully harnessed.

ACDEG is the enabling legislation that facilitates effective partnership between government and CSOs as provided for in article 27(2) of the charter.

ACDEG domestication would facilitate the potential of Zimbabwe to develop into middle economy status, characterised by reduction of poverty and inequality and expansion of real freedoms.

Full participation of marginalised citizens eliminates corruption as the vulnerable groups hold public policymakers to account for their performance and election promises. Rent opportunities in the public sector can be curbed if accountability is strong.

Reginald T Sibanda is an Activista Zimbabwe member. He writes here in his personal capacity.

BY SIBONGINKOSI MAPHOSA/BRENNA MATENDERE

THE Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) yesterday claimed that the majority of its members had heeded the call to boycott classes over unresolved salary issues, and vowed to protect its striking members against victimisation by government.

Zimta chief executive officer, Sifiso Ndlovu said the union would not let its members be victimised for exercising their rights.

“No member of Zimta will be fired for exercising their rights. They have done nothing illegal instead they have informed the government that they are not reporting for duty because they are incapacitated,” Ndlovu said.

“Our members will not report for duty up until our employer capacitates us. Imagine a teacher who works at a school in Ntulula in Tsholotsho, the money she spends to get to her station compared to her monthly earnings is just pathetic.”

While some teachers yesterday reported for duty, others were in a no-show after Zimta, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe called for a nationwide industrial action.

Civil servants last week rejected a 97% salary increment offered by the government as they insisting on getting paid salaries equivalent to what they used to get during the multi-currency regime.

Teachers in most schools in the Midlands capital of Gweru stayed home.

A snap survey carried by NewsDay revealed that there was high absenteeism of the majority of teachers, while those that reported for duty were not taking up lessons.

At Mkoba 1 Secondary School, students were still roaming around the school with no order by mid-day, a sign that teachers were not in classes. The same scenario was witnessed at Chaplin High School, Senga Secondary and Thornhill High School.

Teachers, who spoke to NewsDay at the various institutions visited, said their colleagues who stayed home indicated in social media groups that they were incapacitated to report for work.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure said most schools had recorded a low teacher turnout.

“Teachers are severely incapacitated and learners are ill-equipped for the learning season. Riot police has been deployed in the majority of urban schools scaring the already traumatised learners,” he said.

BY SHARON SIBINDI

RENOVATION work has begun at the National Art Gallery of Zimbabwe in Bulawayo after management secured funding from the Australian and Swiss embassies, NewsDay Life & Style has learnt.

Late last year, music legend and True Love hitmaker, Busi Ncube, staged a fundraising show to pool financial resources for the institution’s refurbishment after she received an SOS from the gallery’s director Butholezwe Nyathi.

The assistant curator at the gallery, Cliford Zulu, confirmed that funding had been secured and work has begun.

“2020 will be a busy year for the gallery. We devoted the greater part of 2019 to mobilising financial and material resources for renovations,” he said.

Zulu indicated that following the release of funding through a Direct Aid Programme grant, renovations to damaged sections of the building housing the gallery were now underway.

“The renovations will include installation of a disability ramp in line with our principle of enhancing ease of access to the building by people with disabilities,” he said.

Zulu said another grant from the Embassy of Switzerland will see them installing a solar system to power sections of the gallery.

“We will also increase the storage capacity of our permanent collection so that we keep an expanded range of the visual memory of the region. We look forward to unveiling a refurbished and environmentally friendly gallery by the end of the first quarter of 2020,” he said.

“In our commitment to improve artists’ competencies and the quality of artists in Bulawayo and the greater Matabeleland region, the partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland will see the gallery implement a series of capacity development programmes for local artists,” he said.

Guest column: Obert Chinhamo

THE appointment of a nine-member Zanu PF-dominated Parliamentary Privileges Committee to investigate MDC Alliance legislators for snubbing President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the National Assembly smacks of conflict of interest.

It is alleged that on September 18, 2019, the MDC Alliance parliamentarians walked out of the august House when Mnangagwa came to address them. The opposition MDC Alliance has for a long time been maintaining that it does not recognise the Zanu PF leader as the country’s President because he lost the elections to Nelson Chamisa.

The exasperated Zanu PF parliamentarians compelled the party’s chief whip Pupurai Togarepi to raise a point of privilege on November 14, 2019, regarding the conduct of MDC Alliance parliamentarians.

In response, the Speaker of Parliament appointed Jonathan Samukange (Mudzi South), Joseph Chirongoma (Mashonaland West senator), Omega Hungwe (Harare Metropolitan senator), Cecil Kashiri (Magunje MP), Stars Mathe (Nkayi South MP), Levi Mayihlome (Umzingwane MP), Kindness Paradza (Makonde MP), Alignia Samson (Proportional Representative) and Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC). Apart from Misihairabwi-Mushonga, the rest of the members are from the ruling Zanu PF party.
However, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga declined the offer because of conflict of interest.

As if not caring or bothered by the challenge of conflict of interest, the rest of the members accepted the offer and have started the investigations and are due to hand over the report on February, 28, 2019.

The question that should be asked is why the rest of the members, with the exception of Misihairabwi-Mushonga, are not bothered by the challenge of conflict of interest? Also worrying is why the Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda, is equally not bothered by the glaring conflict of interest.

Before delving into a discussion on this issue, it would be a remiss if the term conflict of interest is not explained. The definition of conflict of interest in the Code of Conduct for the Parliament of Zimbabwe is inadequate, too narrow and limiting. It needs broadening as it focuses on conflict of financial interests.

However, Article 3 of the Code of Conduct for the European Parliament is more telling and compelling. The EU code says conflict of interest arises where a Member of the Parliament has a personal interest that could improperly influence the performance of his or her duties as a member.

More clearer is the Scottish Parliament definition which describes conflict of interest as arising “… where you have an interest which may actually compromise or be reasonably perceived to compromise your ability to perform your role ….in an impartial and objective manner (that is, where your interest provides you with an incentive and your role responsibilities provide you with the opportunity to grant an unfair advantage or disadvantage).

It is recognised that actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest would inevitably occur and that these may arise across all levels of decision-making and areas of work. The types of potential conflicts of interest which are most relevant in the parliamentary context are generally of a personal, financial, political or other professional nature.”

In the case under review, Zanu PF and MDC Alliance are known and declared political rivals and the leading political parties in Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose address was snubbed, hails from the ruling Zanu PF and conflict of interest arises from the fact the members of the committee are also from the same political party.

Also worrying is the fact that the Speaker of the National Assembly is also from his Zanu PF party.

The Speaker is quoted to have shown favour for the party sponsoring him. It is on record that the same Speaker ignored a point of privilege raised by Mbizo legislator Settlement Chikwinya of the MDC Alliance to investigate Zanu PF legislators disrupting parliamentary portfolio committees chaired by MDC Alliance legislators.

This case can be used to explain the hypothesis that the Speaker is also there to serve the interests of the ruling Zanu PF. It would thus be surprising if the committee reports positively on members of its rival political party.

This way, conflict of interest is a form of corruption and Zimbabwe, currently waging a war against corruption, should not allow this discredited committee to proceed, let alone produce a report of its findings.

The way forward should be to protect the integrity of the institution and make efforts to set up an independent committee.

Institutions such as Parliament should engender ethics and accountability in order to gain citizens’ trust.

The committee should be independent from both Zanu PF and the MDC Alliance. This means that Zanu PF and MDC Alliance legislators should not be members of the committee.

Furthermore, the Speaker of the National Assembly should not be responsible for appointing the committee since he is also from Zanu PF. Let me also recommend that Parliament of Zimbabwe revisits its definition of conflict of interest in its Code of Conduct.

Obert Chinhamo is the chairperson of the Southern African Anti-Corruption Network (SAACoN) and director of the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA). He is writing in his personal capacity. He can be contacted on e-mail: director@anticorruptiontrust.org