Zimbabwe Cricket Captain goes into hiding after threats to life

By Tichaona Sibanda
12 November 2005

Zimbabwe skipper Tatenda Taibu has fled from his home after he received death threats over the telephone following his decision to speak out against his cricket boss Peter Chingoka.

Taibu, who has never before spoken against the ZC President told journalists in Harare on Thursday that the sport ‘will die if Chingoka and the managing director Ozias Bvute fail to step down from their posts’.

He also threatened that the entire national cricket team will not turn out for Zimbabwe against unless Chingoka and Bvute resign. Taibu was one of 74 players to sign a protest letter to Zimbabwe Cricket.

On Thursday night he received death threats from controversial Zanu (PF) apologist Themba Mliswa, who was recently taken onboard by Zimbabwe Cricket to try and quell an internal revolt.

"I am taking the call very seriously, so much so that I have decided to go and stay somewhere else for a while," the 22-year-old Taibu said.

"I will not be deterred by the phone call in pursuing what I and all the others believe is right for us."

Police are investigating the threats to Taibu, who is now staying in a hotel, after he told them that Mliswa had threatened him. When Taibu cut Mliswa off on his cellphone, the controversial former rugby fitness coach then phoned Taibu’s wife.

Apparently Taibu’s wife was recuperating at home after giving birth to their first-born son, TJ last week. The players are angry about Zimbabwe Cricket's failure to finalise contracts for 2005-2006 and in their four-page statement Thursday, threatened to "down tools" unless action was taken.

Taibu warned that the game will "die within a year" unless something is done to resolve a range of problems, and blamed ZC chairman Peter Chingoka and managing director Ozias Bvute for presiding over the game's decline in the country.