HENRY OLONGA

1
HENRY OLONGA

• Former Zimbabwean test cricketer.

• He made his international debut in 1995,
  becoming the youngest player to represent
  Zimbabwe. He helped Zimbabwe to its first ever
  Test victory in that game. A right arm fast
  bowler, Olonga was the first black cricketer to
  play for Zimbabwe.

• Olonga achieved international recognition
  (along with team mate Andy Flower) in 2003 by
  wearing a black armband in a Cricket World Cup
  match to protest against the policies of
  Zimbabwe's government, led by Robert Mugabe. This
  act led to a warrant issued in Zimbabwe for
  Olonga's arrest on charges of treason (which
  carries the death penalty in Zimbabwe) and forced
  him to retire from international cricket and
  temporarily go into hiding.

• He has a superb voice and is an emerging
  tenor who has long participated in arts festivals
  With a foundation that lies in being afforded
  leading roles in productions such as the
  Gondoliers, Annie Get Your Gun, and Joseph and
  his Technicolor Dream-coat, Olonga has completed
  recording a full contemporary pop album titled
  Aurelia in 2006 with one of the UKs top
  producers, Robbie Bronnimann. (Available as a
  download from Itunes). http//phobos.apple.com/Web
  Objects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId208126
  089

• He is now pursuing a career as a singer,
  artist, photographer and videoographer.

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FAITH IN GOD

• Henry represents those who realise that there
  is more to life than the MCC coaching manual -
  there is the Bible.

• I became a Christian when I was 16,' he says.
  I couldn't have made my protest unless I was
  sure that it was something God was asking me to
  do. Now a lot of people blame their actions on
  "God told me to do it". At the time it was a step
  of faith. I knew there would be consequences. I
  didn't know what would happen to me. I just knew
  I should take action.

• As I look back I have no doubt God called me to
  do what I did. God has always provided for me.
  I've never been disappointed with him.' (From The
  War Cry The Salvation Army Newspaper).

3
AUTOBIPGRAPHY

• Hardback edition of the critically acclaimed
  autobiography of Zimbabwean cricketer Henry
  Olonga famous for his black armband protest
  against Robert Mugabe which saw him forced to
  flee his homeland in fear of his life which was
  longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of
  the Year award and nominated for the Best
  Autobiography award at the British Sports Book
  Awards 2011.
• This revised and updated edition includes a new
  chapter in which Henry talks about what has
  happened to him after the book was first
  published, including the reaction from the
  Zimbabwean government and a new twist in the
  tale.
• CricketWeb Book of the Year 2010Longlisted for
  the William Hill Sports Book of the Year
  2010Shortlisted for Best Cricket Book and Best
  Autobiography at the British Sports Book of the
  Year Awards 2011

4
NATIONAL TREASURE WEBSITE

• Suddenly it struck me as I watched him on the
  news last night that Henry Olonga lives here, and
  thus is definitely a man whom I see as a National
  Treasure. I hope the situation in Zimbabwe
  changes soon, and I will have great delight
  removing him from the site as he returns home.
  Until then, it is an honour to have him here.