NewsHawks 22 July 2022

NewsHawks World News Page 51

Issue 90, 22 July 2022

How Brics’ New Development Bank can
improve transparency and accountability

MAGALIE MASAMBA

THE New Development Bank, The late Angolan former President José Eduardo dos Santos.
which was  formed  in July 2014,
marks its eighth birthday this year. representatives said that the in- Unlike most multilateral devel- It must put section 23 of its en- puts that influence the design and
flux of migrant workers into their opment banks, the New Devel- vironment and social frame- implementation of the proposed
It was formed by the leaders communities had put a strain on opment Bank does not have an work  into practice. This requires mechanism.
of Brazil, Russia, India, China resources and services. There were independent accountability mech- the bank to disclose project doc-
and South Africa (Brics) when also project-specific issues. These anism. Nor does it have other ways uments and information to com- At a national level, there have
they met in Fortaleza, Brazil for included concerns about the reset- for these communities to seek re- munities and the general public also been calls for the formation
the bloc’s summit. The bank was tlement of more than 3 000 peo- dress or hold it accountable. during the project design and of  a South African liaison group
seen as a potential alternative to ple  to make way for the Lesotho implementation phases, and for international financial institu-
the World Bank and able to take project. Such mechanisms are created throughout projects’ life cycles. tions.
a new approach to development to hold development finance insti-
finance. The study demonstrates the tutions and their clients account- It should create a structure or This group would be a platform
difficulty of getting project infor- able to their own policies. They platform, an independent ac- to promote discourse between
The New Development Bank mation. The New Development also provide access to remedies for countability mechanism, that af- South African government insti-
has since approved  11 projects  in Bank’s responses to information individuals and communities that fected communities can use to tutions such as the treasury and
South Africa and Lesotho. These requests from the researchers are adversely affected by the activ- prod the bank when it fails to civil society concerning the coun-
involve sustainable energy, trans- lacked adequate detail. Without ities such institutions fund. With- provide timely access to project try’s relationship with interna-
portation, water resource manage- timely and comprehensive access out such a mechanism, the bank’s information or to comply with tional financial institutions. This
ment, and a Covid-19 emergency to information, how can com- approach to accountability falls its own policies and procedures. group could for instance be a good
loan programme. Some of these munities affected by projects ade- far short of global best practice. Better and more sustainable devel- platform to discuss civil society’s
projects, for instance the  Envi- quately address their concerns? opment outcomes can be achieved concerns about the New Develop-
ronmental Protection Project for It’s clear that much more can be when the mechanism’s design pro- ment Bank.
Medupi Thermal Power Plant, are The bank’s website has no proj- done to improve transparency and cess includes public consultations
of strategic importance to South ect documents and its information accountability at the New Devel- that incorporate different stake- — The Conversation.
Africa. Of the project’s estimated portal is hard to use. This affects opment Bank. holders.
total cost of US$2.75 billion, the the right of communities to be Looking ahead *About the writer: Magalie
bank is providing a US$480 mil- heard, a right that cannot be ex- The bank could do this in several These public consultations Masamba is a post-doctoral fel-
lion loan. ercised without access to informa- ways: should aim to genuinely solicit in- low at the Centre for Human
tion. Rights, University of Pretoria,
This is in line with hopes South Africa.
that the bank would serve as a
much-needed new source of fi-
nancing for national and regional
initiatives. Another hope was that
it would be more transparent and
accountable than other multilater-
al banks such as the World Bank.
Its  mission and values,  articles of
agreement,  environmental and
social framework  and  informa-
tion disclosure policy  make com-
mitments about transparency and
openness.

The bank’s  mission state-
ment  expresses its objective of
not only “achieving development
goals with transparency” but also
displaying “empathy” towards its
projects’ intended beneficiaries.

Billions of dollars of investment
later, however, the reality suggests
that improvement is needed.

A study on transparency and
accountability by Oxfam South
Africa and the University of Pre-
toria’s Centre for Human Rights
raises concerns about how the
bank handles  access to informa-
tion. It also lacks an independent
accountability mechanism. The
study calls into question whether
the bank is showing empathy to-
wards the communities that are
affected by its projects.
Too little openness
The study highlights transparen-
cy and accountability challenges
with some of the projects co-fi-
nanced by the bank. The research-
ers interviewed representatives of
the communities near the  South
Africa Lesotho Highlands Water
Project Phase II  and the  Medupi
project.

Some of these challenges are
cross-cutting. For instance, the

Page 52 World News NewsHawks

Issue 90, 22 July 2022

Rivals within reason? US-Chinese
competition is getting sharper

KEVIN RUDD

IN the year-and-a-half since President US and Chinese flags in Arlington, Virginia, November 2018. Yuri Gripas / Reuters
Joe Biden took office, competition be-
tween the United States and China has nuclear-powered submarines. Beijing problems have been turbocharged by is also the more immediate challenge any adjustment to US China strategy
only intensified. has watched with alarm as Japan has Beijing’s rolling draconian Covid-19 for Xi of navigating China’s 20th Party that could be portrayed as weakness;
adopted a new defense policy, expand- lockdowns in many of its major cities, Congress, the politically critical conclave military vulnerabilities in the event of
Rather than dismantle former pres- ed defense expenditure, and begun to which have suppressed consumer de- to be held this fall. Although it is highly a sudden escalation over Taiwan or the
ident Donald Trump’s tough policies embrace the need to assist in the defense mand, disrupted both domestic and improbable that Xi will face any major South China Sea, despite efforts by both
toward Beijing, Biden has largely con- of Taiwan. China has registered similar global supply chains, and further un- challenges to his planned bid for a third the Trump and Biden administrations
tinued them, underscoring that the two concern at South Korea’s new strategic dermined the Chinese property sector, term as head of the CCP, it remains un- to close the gap in military capabilities;
powers are almost certainly headed for and foreign policy posture under Presi- which normally accounts for as much clear whether he will succeed in securing inability so far to offset China’s growing
a protracted period of sharp and mil- dent Yoon Suk-yeol, who promised on as 29% of Chinese gross domestic prod- all his preferred appointments to the regional and global economic footprint
itarily dangerous strategic rivalry. But the campaign trail to join the Quad and uct. And a slowing global economy — party’s next economic team, including given the deeply protectionist sentiment
that does not mean that the US and turn it into the Quint.  also suffering from rising inflation as a the next premier. Nonetheless, Xi has in the US Congress; and underlying
China are moving inexorably toward result of the war in Ukraine — will not a clear interest in avoiding surprises for skepticism among US friends, and even
crisis, escalation, conflict, or even war. And finally, China’s “no limits” stra- help, either, given China’s dependence the rest of the year. That includes sur- formal allies, of Washington’s long-term
To the contrary, Beijing and Washing- tegic partnership with Russia has, fol- on exports as a major driver of growth. prises on the international front in gen- preeminence, strategic reliability, and
ton may be groping toward a new set of lowing the latter’s invasion of Ukraine, eral and in the US-Chinese relationship political will to remain the world’s dom-
stabilising arrangements that could limit deeply damaged Beijing’s standing in Despite several attempts at course in particular. For these reasons, Beijing inant power.
— though not eliminate — the risk of Europe — to the point that even tra- correction on economic policy (but not therefore has an incentive to stabilise its
sudden escalation. ditional China doves across various Eu- Covid-19 policy), there is little sign of relationship with Washington, at least For these reasons, neither China
ropean capitals are now skeptical about a recovery. Indeed, there are some signs temporarily, instead of allowing stra- nor the United States has the political
Assessing the state of US-Chinese re- Beijing’s long-term strategic ambitions. of panic over China’s growth numbers, tegic tensions to continue to escalate. appetite for an accidental crisis or con-
lations at any given time is never easy, not just because of the political impact That does not mean China will change flict. Neither side is ready for one, and
given the difficulty of distinguishing Beijing and Washington have been of rising unemployment but also be- its long-term strategy. But it does mean both need time to deal with the vast
between what each side says about the engaged in a strategic free-for-all with cause of deeper fears that Xi’s ideological China will change its tactics. array of difficulties and deficiencies they
other publicly — often for domestic po- no rules of the road to constrain them. reengineering of the traditional Chi- Accident prone confront. Nonetheless, the risk of unin-
litical effect — and what each is actually nese economic model may ultimately The Biden administration has watched tended escalation is real and growing.
doing behind the scenes. Yet despite the China also faces problems on the impede the country’s race to overtake these developments in China carefully. The recent dangerous interception by
harsh and often heated rhetoric, some home front. The economy has slowed the United States as the world’s largest But it has been equally conscious of its the People’s Liberation Army of a Roy-
early signs of stabilisation have emerged, radically. This began several years ago, economy. own challenges. These include diffi- al Australian Air Force P-8 surveillance
including the tentative reconstitution of when President Xi Jinping started mov- culty passing the US Innovation and aircraft over the South China Sea, which
a form of political and security dialogue ing Chinese economic policy further to In light of these trends, Beijing’s cur- Competition Act and other legislation easily could have caused the Australian
aimed at managing tensions. the left. The party has assumed a bigger rent view of the world is more nuanced essential to the United States’ future aircraft to crash, is just one of many ex-
role in the private sector, state-owned than its official narrative of “the East is international competitiveness; looming amples of an incident that could have
Such stabilisation falls well short enterprises have been given a new lease rising, the West declining” might sug- political uncertainties around the mid- rapidly escalated into a crisis. 
of normalisation, which would mean on life, and the state has cracked down gest. China still sees strategic trend lines term elections and their implications
restoring comprehensive political, eco- hard on the technology, finance, and moving in its direction over the long for the 2024 presidential contest; sus- In this case, the terms of the US-Aus-
nomic, and multilateral engagement. real estate sectors. The overall result term. But it also sees a new set of sig- ceptibility to Republican attacks over tralian Defence Treaty of 1951 could
The days of normalisation have been has been declining private-sector con- nificant headwinds — many of its own well have obligated the United States to
consigned to history. But stabilisation fidence, reduced private investment, making — that it must contend with come to Australia’s immediate defense if
would nonetheless be significant. It diminished productivity, and slowing over the short to medium term. There the incident had taken a fatal turn. (In-
would mean the difference between growth.  These underlying economic
strategic competition that is managed
through steadying guardrails and com-
petition that is unmanaged — that is,
driven by a process of push and shove,
primarily by each country’s military,
in the hope that on any given day no
one pushes too far. The question for
both sides, and for the countries that
are caught in the middle of this titanic
struggle for the future of the regional
and global orders, is what kind of strate-
gic competition they will pursue.
Trouble on the home front
China measures its standing vis-à-vis
the US with what it calls  zonghe guo-
li, or  “comprehensive national pow-
er.”  Zonghe guoli  takes into account
China’s military, economic, and tech-
nological power compared with that of
United States and its allies, as well as
Beijing’s perception of which way third
countries are gravitating. Over much of
the last five years, the internal discourse
of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
has increasingly reflected the belief that
this balance of power is moving rapidly
in China’s favour, and that this trend is
now irreversible.

Not everything has gone Beijing’s
way, however, especially since Biden’s
election. China’s leaders have been
deeply concerned by the revitalisation
of US alliances in both the Pacific and
the Atlantic. They were taken by sur-
prise by the rapid elevation of the Quad
— which consists of Australia, India,
Japan, and the United States — to sum-
mit level under Biden, which was made
possible by an escalation in China’s bor-
der dispute with India. China has also
been concerned by the emergence of a
new security partnership between Aus-
tralia, the United States, and the United
Kingdom, known as AUKUS, and by
Australia’s decision to develop a fleet of

NewsHawks World News Page 53

Issue 90, 22 July 2022

deed, it would be useful for Beijing to guardrails, both countries can embrace pears that there may not be much ap- our competition does not spill over into maximise Chinese national power.
familiarise itself with the precise terms nonlethal strategic competition across petite for a stabilising framework such miscalculation or confrontation.” Nonetheless, China appears to be
of the United States’ military obligations much of the rest of their relationship, as managed strategic competition. In
to each of its Pacific allies, in case Chi- channeling their strategic rivalry into his first meeting with US secretary of Indeed, this  public emphasis on edging toward accepting the reality (if
nese leaders think that threatening these a race to enhance their economic and State Antony Blinken in March 2021, guardrails has become a continuing not the language) of managing its com-
countries is an easy way to demonstrate technological strength, their foreign China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, let feature of US-Chinese diplomacy. It petitive relationship with the United
military strength without risking direct policy footprint, and even their military loose an almost unprecedented level of was particularly evident in a four-hour States. Beijing might, for example, be
escalation with Washington.) capabilities. This race also encompasses public vituperation, lecturing Blinken meeting between Yang and US National able to accept a combination of peaceful
ideological competition over the future on “deep-seated” US problems such as Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in June, competition and constructive cooper-
Watching  China and the United of the international system. But, crucial- racism and accusing the United States of which focused on “maintaining open ation within a framework of necessary
States engage in increasing levels of ly, this would be managed, not unman- being “condescending.” This exchange lines of communication to manage com- strategic guardrails.
brinkmanship is like watching two aged,  strategic competition, reducing was matched by public broadsides be- petition between our two countries,”
neighbors welding away in a back- the risk that it could spiral into direct tween US secretary of Defence Lloyd according to the White House readout. In the Chinese system, far more than
yard workshop without rubber-soled armed conflict. Indeed, such limited Austin and Chinese Defence minister And diplomatic rhetoric may be begin- in the American one, the actual words
shoes on, sparks flying everywhere and competition could in time reduce, rath- Wei Fenghe in Singapore in June of this ning to translate into concrete action, used to describe a strategic framework
exposed, uninsulated cables running er than exacerbate, the risk of war, espe- year, when Wei implied that the United with the two sides reopening severed matter because they can authorise sub-
across a wet concrete floor. What could cially if more normal forms of economic States was the real “mastermind” behind working-level and high-level dialogue stantive action on the part of work-
possibly go wrong? engagement within the framework of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Commentary channels, including military-to-military ing-level officials otherwise trapped
Managed strategic competition managed competition were to resume. in Chinese state media has been simi- talks, and even haltingly exploring the within a linguistic cage of ideological
That is why I have  previously ar- larly incendiary, attacking the United possibility of nuclear strategic stability dogma. 
gued  in  Foreign Affairs  for what I call Beijing has an incentive to stabilise its States for its political, economic, and so- dialogues. These are, however, very early
“managed strategic competition.” This relationship with Washington. cial failings, and claiming that Washing- days. This phenomenon is especially vis-
is a deeply realist concept, not one that ton is engaged in a comprehensive cam- ible among Chinese diplomats, who
holds that only through better under- Third, managed strategic competi- paign to contain Beijing solely because On the economic front, recent con- have been pushed by domestic political
standing of each other’s strategic inten- tion should provide the political space “Western countries led by the United tact between US Treasury secretary Janet incentives toward nationalistic “Wolf
tions can relations between the United for cooperation in those areas where na- States do not want to see the emergence Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He Warrior” rhetoric. An ideological re-
States and China improve. The core tional interests align, including climate of a strong China, in particular a strong on the state of the global economy, an framing from above is needed to autho-
problem at present is precisely the re- change, global public health, global socialist China,” as the top CCP theorist agreement on accounting standards for rise less ideological and more pragmatic
verse: both Beijing and Washington in financial stability, and nuclear prolif- Qu Qingshan put it earlier this month. the possible resumption of Chinese list- diplomatic activity from below.
fact have a reasonably accurate under- eration. Neither China nor the United ings on the New York Stock Exchange,
standing of each other’s intentions, but States (nor the rest of the world) can af- Beneath the surface, however, some- and collaboration between US and Chi- Managed strategic competition could
for several years now they have been ford for cooperation on existential glob- thing new seems to be unfolding. In July nese trade negotiators at a World Trade help stabilise the US-Chinese relation-
engaged in a strategic free-for-all with al challenges to fall by the wayside. But 2021, deputy secretary of State Wendy Organisation meeting on dispute reso- ship over the next decade, when the
no rules of the road to constrain them. no serious cooperation in any of these Sherman met with Chinese Foreign lution mechanisms all point in a posi- rivalry between the two superpowers
Managed strategic competition offers areas is likely to go very far unless the minister Wang Yi in Tianjin and pressed tive direction. So does tentative progress would otherwise reach its most dan-
the realistic possibility of a set of more US-Chinese relationship can be stabi- for “guardrails” to be established in the within Washington and between Wash- gerous phase as they come closer to
stabilising, mutually agreed-upon con- lised by the first two elements of man- relationship. This, in turn, became the ington and Beijing on the possibility of economic parity. The outlook for sta-
straints. aged strategic competition: guardrails focus of a critical first call between Biden reducing or removing tariffs imposed bilisation may be the most promising
that allow strategic rivalry to be chan- and Xi, which was hailed in Beijing as during the recent US-Chinese trade war over the next six months, in the run-up
The concept has four basic elements. neled into nonlethal forms of competi- a highly positive signal. By the time of in order to combat inflation. While, in to the US mid-terms and Xi’s 20th Par-
First, the United States and China need tion. Without these elements, the polit- the two leaders’ first virtual summit, the words of the ancients, “one swallow ty Congress. But dealing with China’s
to establish a clear, granular understand- ical space for real-world cooperation is in November 2021, Biden was openly does not a summer make,” there appears (and, for that matter, the United States’)
ing of each other’s hard strategic redlines likely to continue to shrink. stressing  “the need for common-sense to be movement on a number of differ- vast array of domestic and international
in order to reduce the risk of conflict guardrails to ensure that competition ent fronts in this previously frozen rela- challenges will take longer than that. If
through miscalculation. A detailed un- Finally, to have any chance of suc- does not veer into conflict and to keep tionship. both Beijing and Washington discover
derstanding of such redlines should cess, this compartmentalisation of the lines of communication open.” Kicking the can? that a more managed relationship helps
be reached on critical domains such as relationship would need to be carefully So far, China has publicly rejected the them through the challenging period
Taiwan, the South and East China Seas, and continuously managed by dedicat- Furthermore, when Blinken outlined language of “strategic competition” — that lies immediately ahead, they may
the Korean Peninsula, cyberspace, and ed cabinet-level officials on both sides. the administration’s China strategy in a managed or unmanaged. To accept it conclude that it can be useful for the
space. This framework would then need to be speech at the Asia Society in Washington would go against Beijing’s long-stand- longer term.
maintained with a steady hand, regard- DC, in May, he said that while “intense ing mantra that its relationship with the
An understanding of each other’s less of what domestic political or inter- competition” between the two great United States should be governed by Xi’s True, the strategic rivalry between
redlines does not require an agreement national turmoil might arise. powers was inevitable, this “competition three principles of “no conflict or con- the two powers would continue. And
on the legitimacy of those redlines. That need not lead to conflict.” He quoted frontation,” “mutual respect” for each critics will argue that managed strategic
would be impossible. But both sides This may sound easy to say but im- Biden as saying that  “the only conflict other’s political systems, and “win-win” competition simply kicks the can down
should conclude that strategic predict- possible to do. It is worth remember- worse than an intended one is an unin- cooperation. More fundamentally, how- the road. But that isn’t a bad thing, es-
ability is advantageous, that strategic ing, however, that after the near-death tended one,” and affirmed that “we will ever, Beijing’s unwillingness to explicitly pecially if the alternative is a world of
deception is futile, and that strategic sur- experience of the Cuban missile crisis manage this relationship responsibly to characterize the relationship as one of ever-increasing risk of crisis, escalation,
prise is just plain dangerous. Each side of 1962, the United States and the So- prevent that from happening.” Later, strategic competition stems from the or even what naive nationalists might
must then build guardrails into its rela- viet Union eventually agreed on a range ahead of a meeting between Blinken fact that doing so would confirm that call the cleansing and clarifying process
tionship with the other that reduce the of stabilizing arrangements, later en- and Wang at the G-20 foreign ministers’ China is indeed in a real-world contest of war itself. The last time that seemed
risk of overreach, miscommunication, trenched in the 1975 Helsinki Accords, meeting in Bali, a senior administration for regional and global preeminence. like a good idea was 1914. And that did
and misunderstanding, including by es- that enabled them to navigate another official said the goal of the meeting was And that would run counter to Beijing’s not end well.
tablishing necessary high-level dialogue 30 years of intense strategic competition to “manage responsibly the intense com- official line that its global ambition is
and crisis communication mechanisms without igniting an all-out war. petition between the United States and only to develop a “community of com- — Foreign Affairs.
to oversee any such arrangements. Building guardrails [China]” by putting  “guardrails — so mon destiny for all humankind,” not to *About the writer: Kevin Rudd is
Judging by the public fusillades be- to speak — on the relationship so that president of the Asia Society, in New
Second, having established such tween Beijing and Washington, it ap- York, and previously served as prime
minister and foreign minister of Aus-
tralia.

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 54 Issue 90, 22 July 2022

Artistes can be ‘imprisoned’ for
performing without clearance!

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA

ARE you a budding musician intend- Censorship and Entertainments Con- “So Bev’s certificate was temporarily and renew the certificate,” he said. Alick Macheso on stage.
ing to release your maiden album, or trol Unit,” he said. cancelled following complaints but for- When The NewsHawks reached Bev sorship Unit could have engaged the
an established singer about to drop your tunately for her there were many men police to enforce the law and stopped
newest hits? “So for now and going forward I who also enjoyed the act and supported for comment, she said she was unable to the performance but they later “realised
would like to emphasise that there is not her. So she has to approach our offices renew the certificate in the last two years a lot of lives depended on it” and the
Wait a moment and do some due going to be album launches or perfor- Winky D. due to the Covid-19 pandemic. show went on as planned.
diligence. You now need a “clearance mances by artistes without the clearance
certificate” first, or risk imprisonment certificates. We are going to engage with Speaking through her manager He said another example was Winky
for 12 months, a fine or both. radio stations and make it clear that the Harpers Mapimhidze, who is also the D’s Njema album launch in January
music that is being played on air is cer- president of the Dancers' Association of 2020 which almost failed to take off
This is according to a regulatory body tified by the Censorship Unit because Zimbabwe, said a good number of ar- without the requisite approval from the
called the Censorship and Entertain- there is a lot of music that’s coming tistes were yet to renew their certificates. Censorship Unit.
ments Control Unit. from backyard studios which is undesir-
able to be listened to or televised.” “We are aware that we have to renew “The organisers approached us at the
Added to this, the regulatory author- our certificates but we were affected by last minute with their lawyers, but luck-
ity is also pushing for radio stations to Mugomeri cited three examples Covid-19 pandemic so much so that we ily for them they were advised to seek
play only music certified by them. where the censorship unit almost haven’t been performing for the last two clearance from us and once that was
swooped on unsuspecting artistes. The years. Now that we are back on stage, done the show went ahead. So artistes
This emerged at a workshop held this artistes included Alick Macheso, Winky there is need to push our members to should have certificates for their shows,”
week in Harare by the National Arts D and Bev Sibanda. go and renew their certificates,” he said. he said.
Council of Zimbabwe involving the
police, the censorship unit, Zimbabwe “I remember there was that incident Macheso launched his 12th studio He said for foreign acts it takes 14
Revenue Authority and the Association involving Bev Sibanda (pole dancer) album, Tinosvitswa Nashe, on his 54th days before they are issued a certificate
of Music and Arts Promoters of Zimba- where she introduced the bottle dance. birthday at thr Aquatic Complex in while for local shows it takes only a
bwe. June. According to Mugomeri, the Cen- week to process.

According to section 16 (1) of the
Censorship and Entertainments Con-
trol Act [Chapter 10.04], performing
in, giving or permitting the giving of
any public entertainment not approved
by the Censorship and Entertainments
Control Unit is an offence.  

Any person who contravenes a pro-
hibition or condition imposed under
sub-section (1) shall be guilty of an of-
fence and liable to a fine not exceeding
level six or to imprisonment for a period
not exceeding one year or to both such
fine and such imprisonment: Each cer-
tificate comes with a set of conditions
which artistes have to abide by, for in-
stance costumes, the lyrics done have to
be altered, and any breach is an offence.

The Censorship and Entertainments
Control Unit replaced the Censorship
Board and it is a regulatory authority
under the ministry of Home Affairs.

It regulates arts products such as film,
dramas, theatre, installations, exhibi-
tions, billboards and music, among oth-
ers. However, the censorship unit only
charges a nominal fee of ZW$2 500 for
the whole year but, surprisingly, most
artistes are reluctant to pay or renew
their certificates.

Censorship and Entertainments
Control Unit deputy director Oscah
Mugomeri said there have been a num-
ber of album launches that were held in
the country without their approval.

“It is a pity that most artistes contin-
ue to perform or launch their albums
without having been certified by the

NewsHawks Life & Style Page 55

Issue 90, 22 July 2022

LitFest a celebration of common humanity

Chirikure Chirikure

CHIRIKURE Chirikure, direc- turning to its traditional format keeps us going,” Chirikure said. event that provides platforms for The indications are already
tor of the LitFest Harare literary of live activities. The 2020 and Further explaining the theme, free expression and dialogue, on showing that there will be a
festival, says the theme was cho- 2021 editions had to be virtual a range of literary and cultural broad range of participants in
sen as a way of honouring the because of the Covid-19 pan- Chirikure said: “All around the themes, as well as related social the festival, both local and inter-
ties that bind humanity. demic. world we have been terrorised, issues. The main purpose of the national.
battered; catastrophe has set up festival is to allow writers to pres-
Announcing the dates and “In life, there is always the camp at our doorsteps. In spite ent their work, and to allow aca- “Preparations are already un-
theme of the 2022 literary fes- danger of not appreciating the of all this, we at LitFest Harare demics, critics, other writers and derway. We are certain that
tival, Chirikure said there was positives that keep us going, even choose JOY: to gather and cel- the broad reading public to hear we will have participants from
always a danger of not appreci- under difficult circumstances. ebrate its expressions; to delve and discuss it. around Africa, Europe, Asia and
ating the positives that keep peo- One of the positives that we have into the euphoria we experience the Americas, over and above our
ple going. in life are the ties that bind us in the worlds of words. The tree Over and above the presenta- own local practitioners and ex-
as humanity. We are bound to- that grows is the one that's wa- tions and discussions, the festival perts. We will shortly be putting
The festival is scheduled to run gether in so many varied ways, at tered. also showcases a broad range of out a call for partnerships and
from 23 to 26 November, under the family, community, national performances. participations, so as to broaden
the theme “We are joy — Cele- and global levels. Those ties are We choose to nourish and cul- the range of our festival pro-
brating the ties that bind us.” sometimes visible, or even tangi- tivate what we as humans have These range from poetry and gramme. This November, let us
ble, while the others are sublime. in common; there is much more spoken word performances, to convene in a space of healing, of
The festival will run live at Literature, and art in general, than what divides us. Let us ex- music, dance, theatre, and film. strength, to gain grounding as
selected venues around Harare, profiles and sustains those ties. plore those ties, and bind them The festival is also spiced up with we acknowledge the similarities
with some components of the ex- As such, we should take a mo- stronger.” programmes for audience par- in our diversity,” Chirikure said.
travaganza being virtual as well. ment to celebrate that which ticipation, such as quizzes and
The main objective of the an- competitions. — STAFF WRITER.
This is the edition of the in- nual LitFest festival is to run an
ternational festival, which is re-

Page 56 Poetry Corner NewsHawks

Issue 90, 22 July 2022

Title: Such is my world Title: Let’s Talk Title: Gaia
Poet: Andy Kahari Poet: Nissi Poet: Temba Munsaka

Hate the taverns, the bar man, Before we get married, Epithet: The Demented Scribe
The brew, the puke I’d like to let you know; Walking down the Mighty Lake,
The messed up pants, There gon be days when you’re gon be so in sooty sandals raising hell on a typical sa-
The foul stench, love with me vannah escarpment
Inebriating our children; Days when you’ll hold me so tight as if you’re Drops of sweet sweat ambling along my
But never the concocter, the brewer; not gon see me anymore. frame like drops of dew along the grass
The breeder, the wonder not, And there gon be days when you’ll miss me but stork,
Where in earthly heaven, the last time you saw me was an hour ago. to give ants rivulets to satiate from
The brood swim under dusk? Please know there’s gon be a week where & bespatter my gleaming torso-
Hate the croc, the lion, the hyena, you’ll be so mad at me as my drumbeat dawdling scatter locusts!
The leopard and the cheetah A full week you’ll be quiet, unhappy and won’t Tilapia diving out of the blue deep to kiss
For invading the huts, the kraal, the village... talk to me the sun,
But never the cheating human; A week where I’ll be mad at you and things flippers in aerobic formation to befuddle the
The plunderer of the river, won’t be like they used to be. leprechaun kingfisher
The mountain, the forest; Heck there will be days I’ll start hating you: and The cabrettas orbing away to safety to the
Desecrating the deer, the buffalo, you- me bending horizon,
The zebra, the eland; Loathing everything you say, and everything as the sky and great expanse cuddle in a
Food for the beasts! you do. hot picturesque embrace
Hate the sharp shooter, Days where I’m gon feel like I made a mistake Dry morse brittle under my strides,
The sniper, the marksman, And sadly you’re gon have those days too. to petrify nature as dust like helium is freed
The rifleman, the bullet chamber loader, Days I wish I could punch you in the face from mother earth,
The spotter and the bomb; And days I realize that that’s a wish and grow wings over the translucent waters
But never the miner, That can never be addressed. Ripples of white waters rolling off a sub-
The excavation of suffering, Babe there are days we are gon make up merged rock,
The escalation of hurt to be mine To be very clear, minutes of heart throbbing and to sketch a rainbow in the sky
The shaping of the arrow tipped bullet, sweat dripping making up Blood 'n' sand edifice,
The packing of the flesh tearing shrapnel! Steaming the kitchen windows & plates break- a constant fluid in parched low veld!
Hate, condemn, chide, curse, ing: falling from the kitchen counter. The stubborn rugged hills remain un-
The chicanery There will be months were we will keep push- changed,
The chiefdom, the kingdom, ing- forging ahead as they continue to impose upon life below
The parliament; Reminding ourselves of that very moment we At that moment,
But not the man, the woman, said “I do” I cherished the beauty of life!
The constituents, the electorate Into years I will realize that you’re truly all I have
The vote caster, in this world. ZAMBEZI VALLEY ENCLAVE - a collection
The neighbourhood dog, There will be decades to meditate that even if I of protest pieces
Not chasing away the irate campaigner! love, hate or get angry with you
Damn, such is my world! That there’s absolutely nothing I can ever do ************************************************
Because I’m forever stuck with you
Overview: From that very moment I said I do. Title: Mittens for my Kittens
We know where the issue is but we cast a blind Poet: Sheikh Al Dirani
eye, and look elsewhere in the hope of not fac- .*****************************************************
ing our truth, which we now know we have let Title: Imprints of Pain The sneering wind is up with spears
out of hand for too long; rendering it almost too Poet: Samuel Chuma Rising in an icy Antarctic altercation,
complex to solve. With the sun on a thermal vacation
The easy way is thus simply to shift blame. the imprints of your words The sparrows die out of the sky
still linger in my mind In fluffy feathered death giving up the
***************************************************** startlingly defined ghost.
Title: Pain and Confusion heading grief-wards My furry cat gives a purring protest
Poet: Andile Sayi the love that we planted Shocks a winter with catty teeth chattering
somewhat still stands in bone-rattling yawns.
I felt the light in my womb, with boughs drooping downwards An icy blizzard out of Antarctica
The weight that felt like the moon. as i water it with my tears Slices around my old man’s shins
The feeling of greatness attached, the promises that we pledged Freezing on my grandfatherly chin
Two souls came out unannounced. in sugared midnight escapades The hoary icicles of my beard.
Uncontrolled release of emotion, now turn bitter on my tongue Grand me a heath for my wish,
Pain overshadows tears of joy. as i swallow my words Steep my spirit in near-scalding sauna,
Pain again when the light fades to darkness, it hurts like yesterday Borrow me a balmy October,
Confused if both worlds are a curse or worse. your decades old departure Bless my knee marrows with a thaw.
cutting merciless at my heart
with the daggers of today.

NewsHawks People & Places Page 57

Issue 90, 22 July 2022

Harare-Beitbridge highway tour in pics

Page 58 Sport NewsHawks

Issue 90, 22 July 2022

Past is the past, it’s time to move on

FOUR matches, four wins on the
trot!
It is a little hard to believe that
this statistic is associated with
Zimbabwe’s cricket team, a side
whose submissiveness until very
recently knew no limits, being re-
duced to amateurs by the likes of
Namibia and Nepal.
Quite a turnaround it has been.  
Zimbabwe’s accomplishment
in Bulawayo, winning the quali-
fication tournament undefeated
to clinch a spot at the 2022 T20
World Cup, has left a gratifying
feeling in a nation with very little
to cheer about these days.
But in our midst there are some
who still argue that the success in
Bulawayo — beating Singapore,
the United States, Papua New
Guinea and Netherlands — is not
something worth celebrating.
The teams conquered in Bula-
wayo were small boys compared to
the sides Zimbabwe used to play
— the big guns of world cricket
— competing strongly and occa-
sionally upsetting some of them.
Understandably, getting over
the past is not easy.
But nostalgia will not take us
anywhere. The past is the past,
and we can learn a lot from it. We
have been on this for far too long
though. It is time to move on.
Moving on is what these former Zimbabwe's team celebrate winning a T20 World Cup qualification tournament in Bulawayo last week.

minnows did, and very fast, pre- attention of the sporting world ed some very good talent from knows the players, and he knows Houghton remarked how the
cisely the reason we now compete and the vast majority of Ameri- among their indigenous popula- the game. standards of club cricket in Zim-
cans themselves. tions. In an interview with the British babwe these days are way better
with them as peers. than when his generation played.
Let us not fool ourselves. Just But players in the US nation- And with International
for the reason that we are Zim- al side came from backgrounds Cricket Council money being Bold statement to make, but
babwe, it is not our birthright to in which the game runs deep, so spread wider than before, ex- this coming from no less a cricket-
be beating anyone in internation- cricket was never second choice. pect the balance of power to HawkZone ing man like Houghton, it is hard
al cricket these days because we They all trace their family roots continue shifting. to disagree.
want to, or because we have to. to some of the best cricketing na- Zimbabwe therefore cannot
The game is being played at a tions in the world: India, Paki- rest on its laurels and live in Enock But then Houghton wondered
highly competitive level across the stan, Australia, West Indies, New the past. Muchinjo how this depth of talent at the do-
globe nowadays, for quite a num- Zealand and South Africa. mestic level has not reflected on
The “external” influence was The return of Dave Hough- the national team.
ton as coach was a creditable
ber of factors. I’m sure this is a no-brainer for
For instance, take a look at the also present in the other teams move by the board, deserving him, really. He will have some of
entire US squad that was here for that came over, but with cricket of applause. the answers, as we look forward
the T20 qualifiers. Cricket over becoming more and more global- The legendary former Zimba- Broadcasting Corporation fol- to a smoother journey with the
there might not exactly catch the ly attractive, the sides also includ- bwe captain knows the terrain, he lowing his recent appointment, Chevrons hereon.

NewsHawks Sport Page 59

Issue 90, 22 July 2022 From Zimbabwe to Denmark:
Spreading the gospel of cricket
IF YOU took a quick look at the
names on the team-sheets of both that I thought how better to give back group of players we have, we are on Keith Dabengwa. qualification event next year.
Denmark and Portugal for the fi- to the game, and it was coaching. I a journey that we want every young to juggle! But nothing gives me more It will be a first World Cup in
nal of a crucial international cricket have never looked back since.” cricketer in Denmark to be part of.” joy than helping players achieve their
tournament last week, you could be dreams and to be part of their journey the nation’s cricketing history if the
forgiven for thinking that it was an Being promoted to coach the na- The Asian community of the coun- is a privilege.” Danish succeed in the tournament.
Asian derby. tional side is an opportunity that ex- try has a strong cricketing culture, but A massive task, but one that Dabeng-
cites the former all-rounder, who has the game there is now diverse, with a “Also, I can’t do it alone, I have to wa is looking forward to with confi-
Adding to the ethnic richness of made an early impact as testified by good number of players coming from tap into the wider cricket network dence.
the occasion, the final of the T20 the trophy the Danish clinched last different backgrounds. Still, there are globally. Scandinavia has actually
World Cup Europe C Qualifier, was week in Brussels. challenges to be overcome. awakened its knowledge and interest “I’m hoping to take this group to
the coach of the winning Danish in cricket, it’s growing rapidly. I will the Europe finals next summer and
team, Zimbabwean Keith Dabengwa. “With the work I had done on “Cricket is not full-time here, so not be surprised in the near future cause a few upsets,” avowed Dabeng-
the club scene and integration into it’s hard to compete with football,” seeing one of the countries compet- wa.
Dabengwa’s appointment by Den- the culture, when the opportunity Dabengwa said. “As an Associate ing and succeeding in World Cups
mark last year was a milestone in its came up, international cricket was a country, with limited funding, we and other tournaments,” Dabengwa “We set very high standards for
own right. challenge I was ready for,” remarked have a smaller pool of players. How- said. ourselves. Looking at the goals each
Dabengwa. ever, the players we have are very tal- individual has set for themselves, it’s
Zimbabwe has imported some of ented and eager to sacrifice their time The success in Belgium leaves Den- exciting times ahead. There are op-
world cricket’s finest coaches over the “The opportunity to develop play- for their passion. These players have mark with a chance of qualifying for portunities to do something special
past decades, five having gone on to ers countrywide and build a team full-time jobs elsewhere, so they have the 2024 T20 World Cup, as they with this group of players.”
coach other nations with distinction. was one I relished. With the amazing will now compete in Europe’s final
Andy Flower, considered to be the There is a fair bit of African influ-
southern African country’s greatest ence in Danish cricket, which helps a
player of all time, has been hailed as lot for Dabengwa at a personal level
one of England’s best-ever coaches. and professionally.
Flower was not the first Zimbabwe-
an coach to leave an indelible mark “Zimbabwean international player
on the English side. Years before him, Brian Chari is currently over here for
another former Zimbabwe captain, the summer,” Dabengwa said.
Duncan Fletcher, set the bar high as
England’s coach. Former Zimbabwe “We have had players from South
internationals Kevin Curran (late) Africa as well in recent seasons. We
and Andy Waller both coached Na- have also engaged Africa Sports
mibia’s national team while Robin Consultancy, who provide their ser-
Brown – another ex-national team vices online. They were instrumental
player – had a rather tumultuous stint during the Covid period, especially
as coach of Kenya. providing online goal-setting and a
mindset development programme
The mark for Dabengwa is that he which I used with the club. It’s been
becomes the first black Zimbabwean great collaborating with them as they
to coach a men’s national team of an- also introduced me to some amazing
other country. It is a piece of histo- individuals who have come to Den-
ry that the unassuming 41-year-old mark for short stints.”
from Bulawayo was not even aware
of, characteristically, and reacted with What about life in Denmark? How
modesty when pointed out to him. has it been for Dabengwa and his
family?
“I just feel honoured to coach this
Denmark team as I have been part of “Freezing, hahaha!,” quipped
the players’ development,” Dabengwa Dabengwa. “No, it’s really a lovely
told This Is Africa fresh after guiding country and culture to be part of.
Denmark to a thumping nine-wicket My family and I are blessed to call it
win over Portugal in Belgium. home. I enjoy my football, I absolute-
ly love watching Liverpool play. The
Dabengwa – who played three best team in the world! The journey
Tests, 37 ODIs and eight T20Is for the (Liverpool) coach (Jürgen Klopp)
Zimbabwe between 2005 and 2010 – has taken that group of players on is
first arrived in Denmark towards the inspiring. I also enjoy cooking. I’m
end of his playing career, to coach at the family chef. The language was a
one of the country’s leading clubs. difficult barrier to overcome at first.
However, we understand and speak
“It started with the senior teams Danish now. This has made life a lot
as they had no juniors,” Dabengwa easier.”
said. “Then we started a junior sec-
tion with the five kids. When I left Easier, just the way Keith Mbusi
the club, it had over 60 kids and Dabengwa lives his life – laid-back
we introduced girls and women’s and focused. — This Is Africa
teams. Looking back, my first taste
of high-level coaching was in 2002-
2003 when I was appointed Zimba-
bwe national Under-16 coach. I had
love for it, but at the time I was fo-
cused on representing Zimbabwe as a
player. It was after my playing career

FROM SUMMERS TO WINTERS

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK

Landline: 08644 305473 Arosenty Air @AirArosenty 0777 662 600/0717 063 253
[email protected]

Sports Nurturing
footballers
on the other
side of town

Romanticism v
Realism: How we
blew it againThursday 1 October 2020

Friday 22 July 2022 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS CULTURE

Zifa financial scandal:$60Covid
tariff for
visitors &
tourists
Community
radio
regulations
under review

Story on Page 3 Story on Page 8

DocumenCtshdaimsaispaperaear c
out to Khupe
ENOCK MUCHINJO
Unofficial president calls for emerge
THE file of a company that was
used to swindle the Zimbabwe ALSO INSIDE Finance Ministy wipes out $3.2 Billion depositors funds Zim's latest land c
Football Association (Zifa) out of
over US$1 million has disappeared
at the Registrar of Companies in
Harare allegedly to cover up the
scam, it has been established.

A forensic audit into the financial
activities of Zifa is currently under-
way, and it is believed that this par-
ticular case is among those under
the spotlight in the probe. 

The NewsHawks in May exclu-
sively revealed how the money was
siphoned out of Zifa through a cor-
porate branding company owned
by a senior official of the national
football federation in a dodgy kit
deal, bringing those involved under
the spotlight on suspicion of theft
by swindle as well as serious conflict
of interest.

Investigations shows that the
company’s documents could have
been pulled out in “desperate effort
to defeat an audit process”, accord-
ing to sources.

The Zifa officials who were impli-
cated in deal — in which varying
payments were made from Zifa’s
foreign currency account between
sometime in 2020 to around April
2021 — have since been sacked fol-
lowing a litany of charges.

A new leadership has been in-
stalled at Zifa, although the coun-
try remains under international
suspension by Fifa due to the in-
tervention of the government-ap-
pointed Sports and Recreation
Commission (SRC), which was
forced to act in the Zimbabwean
football crisis although against the
laws and regulations of the world
football governing body.

The SRC has repeatedly insisted
it is confident of an immediate re-
instatement by Fifa.

ALSO INSIDE From Zim to Denmark: Spreading the gospel of cricket