1.
Africa Day
25th May 2010
‘Promoting Peace through Sport’
A commentary by Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA)
Harare, May 25, 2010 – Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA) today
joins the rest of Africa and all its people across the globe in commemorating the coming
together of nations, a race of people, who came out in defiance with a common goal, to take
charge of their destiny not only as a united, but free people. The journey of a thousand miles
commences with a single step one says, well for Africa and it’s populace that day began on
May 25, 1963. It is a journey that we continue to walk today and has undoubtedly been fraught
with both internal and external impediments.
It is perhaps in a distant past that Africa and its people ever found reason to celebrate and reignite
that dormant sense of pride on two consecutive occasions. This year’s Africa Day theme, ‘Promoting
Peace through Sport’, couldn’t perhaps be more meaningful. In just over two weeks, Africa hosts for
the first time one of the biggest event in sports calendar, the FIFA World Cup. Many from across the
globe will throng to recently built and re-developed stadia in some of the most remarkable cities of
South Africa. For the continent it is a dream come true, after all most of the talent gracing the best
leagues in Europe are from Africa. However for most of its people, this will merely shift from a dream
at a continental level to a personal one, for most will get neither the opportunity to see their local
sports idols at such a prestigious football stage in person, nor will they get the slightest glimpse of it
except in print. To sum it up for many as one writer put it, “It’s a party in my back yard...I just can’t
afford...”
Over the years Africa has hosted international events, namely the post apartheid 1995 Rugby World
Cup in South Africa as well as the ICC’s Cricket World Cup jointly hosted by South Africa, Kenya and
Zimbabwe in 2003. Many would undoubtedly question why it was never thought to perhaps use these
events to promote peace as the underlying point was and always will be that, sport brings people
together. For many the reason has been simply the non-existent sense of identity associated with the
above named two sports amongst African people. Fast forward to the imminent FIFA 2010 football
World Cup, the sport many Africans undoubtedly identify with today. This was billed not only as an
opportunity to promote peace and unity across the continent but also to show and tell the world that
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Africa is adamant to continue working as a single entity to eradicate the divisive and ruinous policies
that lead to social, economic and political strife. This would have been evident through brothers and
sisters flocking from across the continent, making a pilgrimage south in support of an event ‘by the
continent’ as well as the sense of pride it ignites through participation at various levels. Alas, the
Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA)
C/o Locan Holdings, 6 Crawford Road, Graniteside, P.O. Box 6966, Harare, ZW
info@ciyda.org | www.ciyda.org
Executive Directors: Fungai Alexander Mapondera (Founder)| Miss. Chipo Mataure | Shingirayi Jeremiah
Chimbodza | Munya Takawira| Brian Mamvura

2. reality could be far from the truth through the sad indictment of ourselves as a ‘people’ as well as
those that are looking in from the outside with marginal interests of what the continent desires but
propagate self interests.
The world media for instance has on one hand led a partial assessment and campaign of the state of
affairs in Africa and its capabilities to hold the event from the day it was accorded to the continent.
The constant reminders to the alleged possible disruptions to the World Cup were amongst others the
disputed elections in Zimbabwe in March 2008, the xenophobic attacks in South Africa last year and
more recently the shooting in Angola at the Africa Cup of Nations. Granted the unfortunate event in
Angola early this year didn’t help the cause. Thankfully the Africans stood united as usual and the
tournament went on. For the world media this was an opportunity to step up to their corporate social
responsibility pledges by perpetuate the unifying effects not only of football but sport in general. The
so called contagion effect of the aftermath of the Angola incident were quick to be projected across
the world with the constant reminder of the FIFA World Cup which was soon to follow in South Africa.
The media has however undoubtedly also cast the light on Africa, opened our eyes on the shortfalls of
our endeavours. For many across the continent in rural as well as urban areas, the busy four weeks
during the World Cup will be the last thing on their minds as they strive to eke out a living. Poverty
continues to be a scourge on our continent, through both remnants of colonisation and
disempowerment as well as remnants of those in the minority that continue on the individualistic and
ruinous path to self enrichment at the expense of society. Lack of sufficient and well managed efforts
towards sustainable development in Africa means the average citizen will find the journey down
south inconceivable and the thought of enjoying simple ‘luxuries’ of watching a game of football on
television in their own homes a mere pipe dream. The reasons amongst some of these would be a
lack of technological advancement as many with the money found themselves sitting on it without
access to the Internet or credit card to purchase tickets. For some it will be the lack of what is
seemingly a basic commodity, electricity, to simplify day-to-day activities (let alone watch football).
On the face of it, the challenge for Africa is to try and maximize the benefits of this football tournament
as well as any sport in promoting peace and unity on the continent. However for Africa, with the
support of a globalized society, this was one of the best opportunities to spread that positive effect
through a sport the African populace identifies with.
At CIYDA it was a jovial mood in learning that the World Cup was finally ‘coming home’ as the saying
at that time was, “...it would be a shame to miss it, as it will never happen again...” But with the
founding principles of the African Unity from forty-seven years ago and its nations working for its
citizenry and its citizenry working for their nations, we are confident that we will gradually arrive at a
state where the thought of never hosting the World Cup again remains just that, an implausible dream
2 or thought. However, the onus will always remain on Africa to make sure whenever that time comes
again, peace and unity will have reached dizzying heights and for us to maximize the positive effects
of football to propel them further.
Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA)
C/o Locan Holdings, 6 Crawford Road, Graniteside, P.O. Box 6966, Harare, ZW
info@ciyda.org | www.ciyda.org
Executive Directors: Fungai Alexander Mapondera (Founder)| Miss. Chipo Mataure | Shingirayi Jeremiah
Chimbodza | Munya Takawira| Brian Mamvura

3.
Africa Day
25th May 2010
‘What Next for Africa’
An Article by Munya Takawira, Head of Volunteering at CIYDA & Founder of the Joshua Foundation
Harare, May 25, 2010 - 53 nations, 2nd largest in size and a land rich not only in natural
resource but also home to some of the most talent this world has yet to see. Millions flock in
year in year out to come and experience the beauty, the freshness and wonders that Africa has
in store. Yet still beneath the surface she stands marred with a past that stubbornly refusing to
be erased and to cease to torment even her kids being born and yet to be born.
A hundred plus years ago “strangers” came on to our beautiful land. Some had “good intentions”
while some, like wolves in sheep skin, came with “evil intentions”. History records of how some were
taken away in slavery, some displaced from their homelands, the land taken away as history began to
reshape. A lot can be said about the horrible and horrific things that transpired yet not much has been
said about what we really lost back then. For in my view, I feel we lost our dignity, our sense of self
worth and our identity as a people. For it is during these traumatic times that I feel we lost it. At the
crack of the whip and the master’s request, our self worth was trimmed. Subjected to inhumane
conditions we ceased to see ourselves as equals. As normal human beings that had the same
potential and capacity as everybody else. A new name was given to us and very soon we forgot who
we really were. “Kunta Kinte” soon became “George”. Our thought patterns and culture began to
follow their shape. What we had always known became “evil” as we embraced what was theirs. Years
went by and though the slave trade ended and many African nations have since become
“independent” freedom is yet to be fully realized. Freedom not just to own our own resources and run
our own sovereign states, we are yet to develop freedom in our mindsets.
One can say that in some sense we still think like slaves. Our thought patterns are still somewhat
controlled by “them”. We have especially as the young generation too quickly discarded the little that
was left of our heritage and culture. In Zimbabwe it is sad that many young people still in schools will
opt not to do Shona or Ndebele as a subject as they feel that it is either too hard for them or is of no
relevance in their future. Many cannot even sing the national anthem. We relate and emulate more to
be like people in the west and the figures that we see on television. The average young person will
know more about the culture and ways of things in Europe, United States of America etc, more than
his own culture. There is a danger looming ahead. A cultural risk. A risk that says that at this rate
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there won’t be a people called African to remember. Who we are is being wiped out and there is no
one to fight. In fact our generation has become like a generation of deserters. People that have
ceased to hope for anything concerning our beautiful continent. Those that have joined in jeering us
as the “dark continent”. I dare ask, will any good thing come out of Africa?
Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA)
C/o Locan Holdings, 6 Crawford Road, Graniteside, P.O. Box 6966, Harare, ZW
info@ciyda.org | www.ciyda.org
Executive Directors: Fungai Alexander Mapondera (Founder)| Miss. Chipo Mataure | Shingirayi Jeremiah
Chimbodza | Munya Takawira| Brian Mamvura

4. Unknowingly we have remained as slaves. Slaves in our minds. The way we think and view
ourselves. The dreams of our fathers of an Africa for Africans are fast fading away. The cause that
was fought for by the many revolutionaries gone by seems to be slipping away from our grip. Nelson
Mandela, Samora Machela Robert Mugabe, Jason Moyo, Joshua Nkomo, Mbuya Nehanda, Sekuru
Kaguvi, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr, Bob Marley, KRS, Malcom X, Nkwame Nkrumah etc .
The list is endless, of men and women who fought to be free, and who desired for their children and
their children’s children to dream and be what they were meant to be.
Now as Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA), we believe that we cannot talk
about empowerment of youth if we still have young people that are closed out to the elements that
have made us to be what we are. A lack of understanding of where one has come from results not
only an identity crisis but also a failure to reach one’s potential. It’s time to be African!
Can any good thing come out of Africa? I dare say there can be. Is it possible that there could still be
young people out there that are passionate about their motherland and see not the “dark continent”
but see a land filled with hope. A land rich in potential. But a land crying that her sons and daughters
begin to rise up and not allow the past to draw them back, but for them to use their intellect and
genius to restore her identity. No one is going to come here and do that. The sons and daughters of
those strangers who first landed on our soil are not going to be our “saviours”. Our answers are
already here with us. If as young people we can begin to map our lives and vision towards a better
Africa, I dare say Africa will be saved.
So as we commemorate Africa Day, here’s to young men and women who are going to find their
place in contributing towards Africa’s restoration. The visions of a debt free Africa! The visions of a
disease free Africa. The vision of a peaceful Africa. THE VISION OF AN AFRICA FOR AFRICANS!!!
∞∞∞
About Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA)
Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2008 and is
based in Harare, Zimbabwe. CIYDA is working to develop and empower the youths of Zimbabwe for the benefits
of the nation and Africa as a continent through the use of new media, information technology and networking
amongst other things. Through these drivers, CIYDA aims to facilitate an information hub and service provision in
the areas of Business Start-up, Social & Cultural Integration, Socio-economic Mentoring and Volunteering.
Through current globalization trends and dispersion of Zimbabwean youths, CIYDA currently has a network
connection of approximately 500 Zimbabwean youths in many countries amongst them, Zimbabwe, South Africa,
Namibia, Botswana, United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia and Canada.
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Contemporary Indigenous Youth Development Africa (CIYDA)
C/o Locan Holdings, 6 Crawford Road, Graniteside, P.O. Box 6966, Harare, ZW
info@ciyda.org | www.ciyda.org
Executive Directors: Fungai Alexander Mapondera (Founder)| Miss. Chipo Mataure | Shingirayi Jeremiah
Chimbodza | Munya Takawira| Brian Mamvura