Rampant corruption, maladministration, lack of accountability in form of missing money, flawed or non-existent accounts, forged transfers and registration documents, rigged elections, age manipulation, match-fixing, gambling, violence and intolerance among other ills, are the order of the day in African football in general and Zimbabwean football in particular. In Zimbabwe, these negative practices are very evident in both primary and secondary schools in the administration and practice of the games.This clearly shows that there is overwhelming evidence of absence of Ubuntu in African soccer today.

For millions of people in Africa, poverty is their daily bread and for these, the importance of beautiful game cannot be underestimated.

Football has the power to create riches from rugs, unity out of division, joy from sadness and bring welcome to a continent bursting with problems. The fact that soccer is followed by millions of people in Africa and the world makes it a potentially fertile ground for for impacting positively upon the people by embracing Ubuntu values.

The missing link is that Ubuntu is absent in the administration and practices of football in Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular.

Shutte(2001) explains that Ubuntu is an African philosophy which states that being human is to be able to live with others.It emphasizes on relatedness and inclusion of others and thus considers group success above the individual.

The philosophy of Ubuntu is best captured in aphorism; ubuntu ngumuntu ngabantu(Ndebele/Zulu) or kunzi munhu vanhu(Shona) translated, ” a person is a person through other persons”.

Shutte(1993) adds that to be human is to affirm one’s humanity by recognizing the humanity of others in it’s infinity variety of content and form.

The current state of football administration and practice in Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular clearly highlights the erosion of Ubuntu both at junior and senior levels.

Samkange and Samkange (1980) explain that emphasis in traditional African societies was on the transmission of Ubuntu values, which aimed at producing products that fitted well into a well-organized social and political system, developing social cohesion and human relations.

On the contrary, as a result of colonization, the thrust on Ubuntu among Africans was heavily compromised as Carlin in Sichermann(1995) observès that “colonial education was a day in day out practice which was true subversion of the African mind, the breaking down of mental tissues, their reconstruction in western mode, re-ordering of thoughts, feelings, habits, responses, of every aspect of the mind and personality.”

Kanu(2007) further observes that since independence, education in Africa has been the characterized by the same western instrumental, technical and human capital approach which rests on the assumption that formal education is highly instrumental in improving productive capacity of population without putting emphasis on Ubuntu philosophy.

The columnist, therefore argues that the rain started beating us in African football where we abandoned the Ubuntu philosophy.

The challenges being faced in football administration and practice at both junior and senior levels in Zimbabwe and Africa such as corruption, maladministration, age-manipulation and violence among ills, are a result of the exclusion of Ubuntu in administration and practice.

The columnist Mugova Benjamin Makanyire is a football enthusiast, football junior and top flight coach, Fifa grassroots coaching ambassador,sports medicine practitioner, educationist.

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