Henry Olonga is one of the most colourful characters in world cricket. His funky hairstyle and easy-going manner have become a feature in the Zimbabwean change room. Opponents worldwide respect his bowling. His never-say die attitude has also pulled Zimbabwe out of the fire a few times.
But despite his prior performances and being a member of Zimbabwe’s 15-man squad, his presence on the field in the World Cup has been largely reduced to carrying the drinks. All because he and Andy Flower protested against President Robert Mugabe regime.
Many people thought it somewhat ironic that the first black player in Zimbabwe would wear a black armband mourning the death of democracy in his country. But tose close to Olonga weren’t surprised at all.
”His faith dictates that he has to stand up for what is morally right, and I know he’s been stewing about this for a while,” one of his team-mates said.
”longa says his strong Christianity as well as his responsibility as role-model for young Zimbabweans compelled him to make a strong statement.
”Christianity teaches me to stand up for what is right, to oppose what is wrong; to fight against evil and injustice. I am merely fulfilling my duties,” he said. ”It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but in the end I had to stand up for what I believe.”
His protest came at great personal cost. He was expelled from his domestic side, Takashinga Cricket Club. Though he remained part of the Zimbabwean side, he was dropped from most of the games, except the game against India.
”I was getting quite tired of carrying the drinks around, becoming an expert in the position of 12th man,” he said, trying to downplay his situation.
He also expects more trouble after the World Cup, but says he will face whatever happens. ”I have been carjacked and stabbed in this country, all sorts of bad things have happened to me. I’ve been in the news for so many reasons, good and bad,” he says. ”I’m trusting in God to help me through this — he’s my shelter.”
”The Zimbabwean fast bowler credits his faith for carrying him through the most challenging times in his career.
”In 1995, when I came back from India everything seemed to be bleak. I was called for chucking and I was ready to give up my cricket and go away to England to pursue a singing career. But God helped though and gave me new hope,” he said.
”Olonga has had his fair share of female attentions. With his good looks and unsual hairstyle, he always has female fans walking the grounds with banners and declaring their undying love. Olonga just chuckles. He remains mum on rumours about his supposed virginity. As a dedicated Christian he is reported to have sworn off sex until marriage.
”The lanky fast bowler is actually not a born Zimbabwean. He was born in Kenya and is the son of a Kenyan father and a Zambian mother. They moved to Bulawayo when he was four.
His father is a paediatrician and an arts lover. ”He never shared my fancy for cricket, but supported me all the way,” Olonga said.
His father’s love for the arts rubbed off on the young Olonga and he was almost stolen away from cricket to become an opera singer. ”I developed a love for singing, acting and performing while I was still a kid,” Olonga said. ”At one stage, I heavily considered moving overseas to pursue a career in the performing arts.”
The multitalented youth also displayed a need for speed. At one stage his school masters at his exclusive school, Plumtree in Bulawuyo, considered him Zimbabwe’s answer to Frankie Fredericks.
”But Olonga loved cricket and his athleticism groomed him into a fine fast bowler. His father’s strong spiritual support motivated him to new heights.
”The part my father has played in my career is tremendous. He is disabled due to polio, thus he couldnÕt throw cricket balls at me for hours. But he bought spikes, bats whatever else I needed. More importantly, he was a role model for me. He was a man of tremendous strength and I learnt to fight from him,” he said.
Olonga’s father supports his decision to wear a black armband. The pediatrician, who is still practicing in Bulwayo, pulls no punches when he voices his concerns about Zimbabwe, maybe indicatory of a manÕs whose inner strength has motivated his son so much.
””What he stood for is legitimate. The suffering masses here are the blacks. This country is in a calamity and it is mostly the black people who suffer,” Olongo snr said.
”Im proud of Henry standing up for what’s right.”
Olonga believes that he still has a lot to offer to Zimbabwe cricket. ”Cricket has been good to me and given me wonderful opportunities. I am proud to be an ambassador for Zimbabwe,” he said.
”But if they want to continue the fight with me, believe me, I am not going to fight back. If Zimbabwe cricket is finished with me I will take up a career as an opera singer. I believe I stood up for the right thing. And it is time for the others to follow. If you stand up and fight you shouldn’t even complain; you deserve it.”
Olonga also came under fire for singing Our Zimbabwe in public, which many politicians in Zimbabwe perceived as political statement. But Olonga says that the song has nothing to with politics. ”The song is just a little dream. I have done a course called Dynamics of goal-setting. It taught me the power of visualisation. I just sang for a country of peace where everybody can live in harmony and everybody co-operates. I believe we’ll have a country like that some day, he said.