By Batsirai Sango.
It has been a week since the first episode of this season’s “Battle of Zimbabwe” the biggest football derby match in the pot-shaped land, in the southern part of the great continent of Africa was abandoned in the 37th minute after pitch invasion by fans from either side of the Vietnam stand.
Highlanders versus Dynamos is the biggest football match in Zimbabwe and ultimately the climax of every premier soccer league season, more especially this season with Highlanders leading the pack at the top of the premier league table.
The colossal nature of the match proves itself in the name given to the encounter itself, “The Battle of Zimbabwe” a clear reflection of how the entire nation comes to a standstill, holds its breath and is literally divided between these two giants.
With Bosso as Highlanders are affectionately known by their multitudes of fans marching on to the title, with Dynamos also in the mix, it was more or less like a watershed election and what irony that barely 2 weeks prior the nation had gone for destiny defining plebiscite.
And on the part of the premier soccer league administrators, one would question the wisdom of scheduling such a high stake, emotionally, passionately and politically charged encounter soon after the elections.
And true to the above comparison the game was just that considering what happened that absolutely had nothing to do with the game of football. From the turn of the new millennium every general election that has taken place on our shores the happenings prior and during has had absolutely nothing with the act of voting on election day.
The biggest match in the land taking place immediately after the elections and the setting of the match where the so-called winners won not even one constituency was a recipe for what eventually took place.
In the immediate aftermath of the Arab Spring in 2011, in Egypt the Cairo derby involving the two biggest teams in Egypt Al Ahly and Zamalek had to be played in empty stadiums for security reasons but also for the sociopolitical influence the game could have on the fans, or rather the opportunity fans could have to express their outrage at the state of affairs through something which they love.
Al Ahly and Zamalek just Highlanders and Dynamos have arguably the biggest followership on the land and meeting soon after an election that yielded so much discontent it would only be a matter of when the discontent would show its face.
And September 10, 2023, Barbourfields Stadium was just the setting for all that, and with Bosso relentlessly marching on to the title and their fiercest nemesis in Dembare, Dynamos as they are affectionately referred to by their legion of fans looking to throw spanners in the works the stage was set for an explosive encounter.
And explosive it was as in the 37th minute fans reacted to a seemingly unfair act of officiating with the match referee of the day dismissing what many thought should have been a penalty for Highlanders.
From there on all hell broke loose, and with riot police trying to restore calm and order the rapturous crowd went into attack mode against the police that seemed vulnerable to being overrun by fans for both sides of the field.
The scenes outside the ceremonial home of football in Bulawayo was telling, of a police force not well equipped, and trained to deal with such scenarios especially dealing with huge crowds during football matches.
A collective introspection of the biggest match in the land ought to be carried out in order to be better prepared and be in a position to control crowds in the event of such inevitable eventualities. The police’s heavy handedness in dealing with rowdy crowds has not paid off at any point and a review of their conduct in dealing with crowds needs and ought to be interrogated and be put into introspection.
Who would forget the National sports stadium incident more than a decade ago when police in an attempt to control a rowdy crowd in a world cup qualifier match between Zimbabwe and South Africa, led to a stampede in which innocent football fans died.
With tear gas fired in the stands, one would have expected the crowd to flee but alas on to the pitch they went on coming in direct confrontation with the police who could barely keep it together with their shields coming to their aid, defense from all kinds of things being thrown at them.
Never have been fans so daring to the point of literally challenging authority figures in the police to respond back, which speaks to the headline of the article “more than just football”
Water cannons tried to displace the crowds, but what a crowd at the battle of Zimbabwe waiting for the water to runout and then pounced on the truck with the driver having to reverse in haste in the process crushing two civilian vehicles.
Football wise the display of artistry was a joy to watch and its incumbent upon responsible authorities in the football fraternity and media to ensure that all premier league matches are brought to the screens of the fans’ living homes.
The aftermath of the biggest game in the land ought to invoke a holistic introspection of not just football but other aspects that compliment the game especially on match day, to avoid the regrettable.
