The Sunday Mail
ONCE again Zimbabwe Cricket finds itself in all too familiar territory as a new man has taken over the reins at the beleaguered organisation.
Tavengwa Mukuhlani was on August 20 elevated to the helm of Zimbabwe Cricket, taking over from Wilson Manase who was holding fort on an interim basis following the departure of Peter Chingoka.
Not a newcomer to either the sport or its administration, Mukuhlani appears to have taken the bull by the horns.
“We are not starting a new ZC,” the new ZC boss told his first press conference.
“We are a new administration, chosen for our strategic views and principles. But there will not be change for change’s sake. We will continue with what works and discontinue what time has proved to be a failure.
“We will put cricket first and this means starting at the beginning. That beginning is development.”
To give the devil his dues, Mukuhlani appears to have handled himself with an astute sense of confidence and conviction, qualities which Chingoka and Manase lacked.
While Chingoka appeared set in his ways, Manase was mostly all talk.
Mukuhlani’s openness to address the large elephant in the room, which in this case is racism, should be quantified as an early victory.
“Issues such as racism have no place on our agenda and instead of allowing them to side-track us from the game, will be dealt with as soon as they are raised – without fear or favour of who the complainant or accused is,” said Mukuhlani.
However, at this point everything the new chairman says should and will be taken with skepticism as any administrator’s legacy is defined by what he does rather than what he says.
For his part, the new Zimbabwe cricket boss appears to have taken the first step towards solving a problem and that is to admitting one exists.
However, it won’t be easy for Mukuhlani as he takes over at a troubled organisation, which has suffered from a decade of troubles ranging from maladministration, racial tension, and exodus of top players, ailing developmental structures and most importantly an ever increasing debt.
Actions and not promises will heal the tension in the local game.
