Abstract
This chapter unpacks these various socio-political dynamics by focusing on a historical analysis of football in Zimbabwe. It utilises a desk research approach to show the linkages between football and politics. Football in Zimbabwe is a colonial construct and thus this history is important in understanding how the game has continuously been used a political tool. As a child of colonial political processes, football in Zimbabwe has thus remained entrenched within this space where matches represent more than a mere sporting event. The chapter highlights how football has also been used as a vehicle of resistance to political oppression in both colonial and post-colonial periods. The popularity and mass appeal of football makes it attractive for politicians who see the game as a means to achieve their political ambitions. Numerous issues around ethnicity, violence, corruption and football governance are interrogated within the context of this chapter. The thrust is to show how football and politics are intricately linked within the context of a post-colonial state. The chapter also analysed the role of fans, importance of football in everyday life and also match-fixing scandal in Zimbabwe.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Armstrong, G., and J.P. Mitchell. 2001. Players, Patrons and Politicians: Oppositional Cultures in Maltese Football. In Fear and Loathing in World Football, ed. G. Armstrong, and R. Giulianotti, 137–158. Oxford: Berg.
Chitakasha, L. 2015. Football in Zimbabwe: A Brief History up to 1980. Nehanda Radio, May 21. http://nehandaradio.com/2015/05/21/football-in-zimbabwe-a-brief-history-up-to-1980/.
Chiweshe, M.K. 2011. Understanding the Processes of Becoming a Football Team Fan in an African Context: The Case of Dynamos Football Club Fans in Zimbabwe. Soccer and Society 12 (2): 174–183.
Chiweshe, M.K. 2014a. Online Football Fan Identities and Cyber-fandoms in Zimbabwe. In Identity and Nation in African Football. Global Culture and Sport, ed. C. Onwumechili and G. Akindes, 236–253. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Chiweshe, M.K. 2014b. The Problem with African Football: Corruption and the (Under)Development of the Game on the Continent. African Sports Law and Business Bulletin 2: 27–33.
Chiweshe, M.K. 2016. Till Death Do Us Part: Football as Part of Everyday Life Amongst Dynamos Football Club Fans in Zimbabwe. African Identities 14 (2): 101–113.
Chiweshe, M.K. 2017a. Frenemies: Understanding the Interconnectedness of Rival Fan Identities in Harare, Zimbabwe. Soccer and Society 10 (November): 1–13.
Chiweshe, M.K. 2017b. The People’s Game: Football Fandom in Zimbabwe. Bamenda: Langaa.
Chiweshe, M.K. 2017c. Zimbabwe United? Exploring Cooperation and Contestations in the Context of National Football Team Fandom in Zimbabwe. In Football Fans, Rivalry and Cooperation, ed. C. Brandt, F. Hertel, and S. Huddleston, 142–156. London: Routledge.
Choto, T., M.K. Chiweshe, and N. Muparamoto. 2017. Football Fandom, Ethno-Regionalism and Rivalry in Post-colonial Zimbabwe: Case Study of Highlanders and Dynamos. Soccer and Society 14 (March): 1–15.
Darby, P. 2000. Football, Colonial Doctrine and Indigenous Resistance: Mapping the Political Persona of FIFA’s African Constituency. Culture, Sport and Society 3 (1): 61–87.
Giulianotti, R. 2004. Between Colonialism, Independence and Globalization: Football in Zimbabwe. In Football in Africa: Conflict, Conciliation and Community, ed. R. Giulianotti and G. Armstrong, 80–102. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Godwin, P., and I. Hancock. 1993. ‘Rhodesians Never Die’: The Impact of War and Political Change on White Rhodesia, c. 1970–1980. New York: Oxford University Press.
Frosdick, S., and P. Marsh. 2005. Football Hooliganism. Cullompton: Willan.
Magirosa, M. 2014. Racism and the Beginning of Football in Zimbabwe. The Patriot, July 3. https://www.thepatriot.co.zw/old_posts/racism-and-the-beginning-of-football-in-zimbabwe/.
Marima, T. 2011. Asiagate: Zimbabwe’s Match-Fixing Scandal. Al Jazeera, July 29. http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2011/07/201172171125643181.html.
Matenga, M. 2012. Asiagate Officials Implicated in Sex Orgies. News Day, October 25. https://www.newsday.co.zw/2012/10/asiagate-officials-implicated-in-sex-orgies/.
McDowell, M. 2017. Scottish Football and Colonial Zimbabwe: Sport, the Scottish Diaspora, and ‘White Africa’. Journal of Scottish Historical Studies 37 (1): 73–99.
Mpondi, D. 2014. Cricket, Racial Discrimination and Racial Integration in Colonial Zimbabwe. Paper presented at Sports in Africa and the Global South 2014.
Muponde, R., and K. Muchemwa. 2011. Dictatorships, Disasters, and African Soccer: Reflections on a Moment in Zimbabwean Soccer. African Identities 9 (3): 279–290.
Mutungamiri, L. 1998. Dynamos Turns 35 Today. Parade Magazine. March Edition.
Ncube, L. 2014a. The Interface Between Football and Ethnic Identity Discourses in Zimbabwe. Critical African Studies 6 (2–3): 192–210.
Ncube, L. 2014b. The Beautiful Game? Football, Power, Identities, and Development in Zimbabwe. Unpublished PhD thesis, University of KwaZulu Natal.
Ncube, L. 2016. ‘Bhora Mugedhi versus Bhora musango’: The Interface Between Football Discourse and Zimbabwean Politics. International Review of the Sociology of Sport 51 (2): 201–218.
Ncube, L. 2017. ‘Highlander Ithimu yezwe lonke!’: Intersections of Highlanders FC Fandom and Ndebele Ethnic Nationalism in Zimbabwe. Sport in Society: 1–18. Published online: 2 Nov 2017. http://sci-hub.cc/10.1080/17430437.2017.1388788.
Nehanda Radio.2015. DeMbare Supporters Clean Chitungwiza Hospital, May 31. http://nehandaradio.com/2015/05/31/dembare-supporters-clean-chitungwiza-hospital/.
Nkwi, W.G. 2014. Shifting Identity and National Football Squad: Indomitable Lions to Tamed Lambs. In Identity and Nation in African Football: Fans, Community and Clubs, ed. C. Onwumechili and G. Akindes, 155–164. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Novak, A. 2006. Rhodesia’s ‘‘Rebel and Racist’’ Olympic Team: Athletic Glory, National Legitimacy, and the Clash of Politics and Sport. The International Journal of the History of Sport 23 (8): 1369–1388.
Novak, A. 2008. Politics and the Paralympic Games: Disability Sport in Rhodesia-Zimbabwe. Journal of Olympic History 16 (1): 47–55.
Novak, A. 2012. Sport and Racial Discrimination in Colonial Zimbabwe: A Reanalysis. International Journal of the History of Sport 29 (6): 850–867.
Ranger, T. 1987. Pugilism and Pathology: African Boxing and the Black Urban Experience in Southern Rhodesia. In Sport in Africa: Essays in Social History, ed. W. Baker and J. Mangan, 196–213. London: Africana Publishing.
Sharuko, R. 2016. The LimpopoGate Mastermind and His Network. Nehanda Radio, March 13. http://nehandaradio.com/2016/03/18/limpopogate-mastermind-network/.
Stuart, O. 1996. Players, Workers, Protestors: Social Change and Soccer in Colonial Zimbabwe. In Sport, Identity and Ethnicity, ed. J. MacClancy, 167–180. Oxford: Berg.
Sunday News. 2017. DeMbare Supporters Donate to Ingutsheni Hospital, February 12. http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/dembare-supporters-donate-to-ingutsheni-hospital/.
Taruvinga, M. 2016. Limpopogate “Match-Fixers” Trial Date Set. News Day, August 11. https://www.newsday.co.zw/2016/08/limpopogate-match-fixers-trial-date-set/.
The Herald. 2013. BF Chaos: Nine Arrested, February 11. http://www.herald.co.zw/bf-chaos-nine-arrested/.
The Herald. 2013. Stalemate at Rufaro, April 21. http://www.herald.co.zw/stalemate-at-rufaro/.
The Herald. 2016. Henrietta Rushwaya Fingered in Match-Fixing Allegations as Nation Dube Falls by the Wayside, March 10. http://www.herald.co.zw/rushwaya-fingered/.
The Zimbabwean. 2014. Bosso vs DeMbare: The Day Football Lost Its Glitter, August 19. http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2014/08/bosso-vs-dembare-the-day/.
The Zimbabwean. 2016. The Economic and Political Crisis in Zimbabwe, July 17. http://www.thezimbabwean.co/2016/07/the-economic-and-political-crisis-in-zimbabwe/.
Tunon, J., and E. Brey 2012. Sports and Politics in Spain—Football and Nationalist Attitudes Within the Basque Country and Catalonia. European Journal for Sport and Society 9 (1–2): 7–32.
Tutani, C. 2012. Asiagate: Pity the Innocent Players. Newsday, October 26. https://www.newsday.co.zw/2012/10/asiagate-pity-the-innocent-players/.
Zenenga, P. 2012. Visualizing Politics in African Sport: Political and Cultural Constructions in Zimbabwean Soccer. Soccer and Society 13 (2): 250–263.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Chiweshe, M.K. (2018). Zimbabwe. In: De Waele, JM., Gibril, S., Gloriozova, E., Spaaij, R. (eds) The Palgrave International Handbook of Football and Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78777-0_23
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78777-0_23
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-78776-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-78777-0
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)