A glimpse into the Presidents eventful life in 130 pages – The Herald

The Herald

Dr Misheck Sibanda

This is a presentation made by Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda at the launch of President Mnangagwas biography A Life of Sacrifice at State House on Thursday.

The book A Life of Sacrifice is undoubtedly a bold attempt by the authors to capture and chronicle the life and history of a pioneering and trailblazing freedom fighter and politician belonging to the unique nationalist breed of the 1960s.

It was indeed an ambitious enterprise to seek to condense in 130 pages the eventful life of an activist whose journey included: youth activism; military training; armed combat; incarceration; prison sentence; and escaping the hangmans noose; and 40 years of leadership, including in the highest office of the land.

The authors set themselves the task of capturing all these in a life characterised by trials and tribulations which were overcome through the steely, obdurate determination and seemingly quiet disposition of Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

From this perspective, the book is a welcome development, because it adds to the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of our history and the pedigree of leading figures that contributed to, and sometimes made that history through personal involvement and unique commitment.

It is a history of struggle, perseverance, valiance, gallantry and sacrifice.

Indeed, it is part of a proud history of brave freedom fighters who valiantly fought against British white settler colonialism, not once but several times, typified by the First Chimurenga in the 1890s and Second Chimurenga in the 1960s and 1970s.

In those wars, gallant sons and daughters of this land paid the supreme sacrifice in defence of the motherland.

They eloquently said No to foreign subjugation and to be turned into drawers of water, and hewers of wood in the land of their forefathers.

Indeed, they followed in the footsteps of the heroic forebears who resisted Portuguese occupation during the Mutapa Empire.

To be counted among that fine crop of the young men who thrust themselves forward was Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, at a time when white colonial power looked invincible.

After all, colonial authority had the technology of war, instruments of oppression and support from the entire imperialist world.

That notwithstanding, the young freedom fighters had the courage, determination and belief in their innate capacity and ability.

They loved their country and abhorred foreign rule. They were driven by a burning spirit of patriotism, and unshakable conviction that colonialism would be defeated.

After all, the imperial empire was crumbling everywhere then, in Asia and some parts of Africa.

This is the story that A Life of Sacrifice, seeks to weave by unravelling the part played by ED Mnangagwa, our President and Commander-in Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

The authors tell this story of this enigmatic and complex revolutionary, in 130 pages of readable and jargon free narrative.

The book brings to the fore the story of the impact of settler colonial oppression and injustice; land deprivation; and limited educational and economic opportunities for the youths.

Reacting to the opposition to destocking his cattle, Emmersons father Mafidhi, and his family were banished from their homeland in the Runde Communal area in Zvishavane, and forcibly relocated to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) in the early 1950s.

This led to Emmersons early participation in youth activism of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) of Northern Rhodesia.

Later on, he threw his lot with his fellow Zimbabweans and joined ZAPU at a time when there was a transition to the armed struggle.

He became one of those youngsters who voluntarily went for military training in Egypt. When there was a split within ZAPU, he joined the splinter Party ZANU and saw him heading to China for specialised military training.

Emmersons long and ardours journey of sacrifice had commenced.

This would see him attend the first Congress of ZANU in 1964 in Gwelo (now Gweru), followed by military escapades as part of the first ZANU military attack on a Rhodesian locomotive in Fort Victoria (now Masvingo) by a ZANU specialised military Unit code-named, the Crocodile Gang, led by young E.D. Mnangagwa.

Betrayal and arrest saw him on the death row, saved only by fate as well as adept and dogged efforts by Father Emmanuel Ribeiro and patriotic lawyers from hanging.

After serving his 10-year sentence, he was deported to Zambia. He completed his law studies at the University of Zambia after which he briefly worked with Enock Dumbutshena who became the first black Chief Justice of independent Zimbabwe.

When a call came for him to reunite with his comrades in the struggle, he did not hesitate to go to Mozambique. The rest is the history as narrated in the book.

At independence he was given the delicate and onerous responsibility to integrate the disparate armies, namely: ZANLA, ZIPRA and the Rhodesian Army, into one national army a task he accomplished with distinction.

This was followed by stints as Minister of State for National Security; Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; Rural Housing and Social Amenities; Speaker of Parliament; Minister of Defence; Vice President and other Government and Party assignments and deployments that prepared him for the eventual position of President of the Second Republic.

Very clearly, ED Mnangagwa approached each assignment with passion, commitment and dedication, and discharged his national obligations driven by loyalty and national service.

The motivation was not characterised by unbridled ambition or love for power, but a national duty to build, protect and defend the independent country he had heroically struggled to bring about.

This disciplined commitment to work and national service became the embodiment of his lifelong service to the nation as a whole. This was also evidenced by his sterling contribution as Speaker of Parliament at a challenging time.

Indeed, his adept and adroit management and steering of its business earned him accolades, enabling Parliament to weather the stormy waters brought about by the presence of a strong and sometimes hostile opposition.

He also introduced fundamental Parliamentary reforms during his tenure as Speaker including making Parliament more open and accessible.

Equally, as Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, he introduced fundamental reforms that included the Open Prison system and Victim Friendly Court Systems.

As Leader Government Business in Parliament, he steered Parliamentary reforms.

Similarly, when the economy was almost on its knees, he was part of the team that introduced the multi-currency system as a way of arresting inflation, stabilizing prices and the economy.

His Excellency the Presidents nationalist and reformist agenda has found full expression in the New Dispensation with the mantra Zimbabwe is Open for Business and his enunciation of a bold National Development Strategy to ensure that Zimbabwe becomes a Prosperous and Empowered Upper Middle Income Society by 2030.

In a nutshell, this sums up the review of the publication, A Life of Sacrifice A Biography of ED Mnangagwa.

The book makes a good reading for both the young and old who may want to have an appreciation of who their President is, particularly his historical antecedents, his political and educational background, his humanity, humility, his intrinsic core values to unite all the people of Zimbabwe to improve the material and social conditions of the marginalised people, and above all, his vision for the future democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe!

I thank the authors for their benevolent initiative in contributing to the development of our country through this publication.

The launch of the book is indeed very much appropriate, as the nation is gearing up towards commemorating the Heroes and Heroines Day, early next week.

I particularly want to thank the distinguished guests from the private sector for their overwhelming participation in the launch and the auctioning of the book.

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A glimpse into the Presidents eventful life in 130 pages - The Herald