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Mnangagwa Imposes His Book on Citizens<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
By a Correspondent-The\u00a0ZANU PF-led government has come under scrutiny following a directive urging local authorities to purchase copies of President\u00a0Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s revised biography, raising concerns over the coercive use of state structures for political promotion.<\/p>\n
A letter dated 31 March 2026, authored by\u00a0John Basera, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, instructs town clerks, secretaries, and chief executive officers to facilitate the procurement of the book titled\u00a0A Life of Sacrifice<\/em>.<\/p>\n The communication indicates that the biography\u2014first launched in 2021 and now revised and translated into Shona, Ndebele, and Tonga\u2014is being promoted for widespread institutional purchase and distribution, including in schools. According to the letter, each copy\u00a0is priced\u00a0at US$17, with a discounted rate of US$15 for bulk orders of 100 or more.<\/p>\n Basera states that the publisher is appealing for support from \u201cindividuals and institutions,\u201d\u00a0but\u00a0goes\u00a0further\u00a0to \u201cimplore\u201d local authorities to\u00a0make arrangements to procure\u00a0the book, framing it as beneficial to communities.\u00a0Critics argue that such language,\u00a0coming from\u00a0a senior government official,\u00a0effectively\u00a0amounts to an instruction rather than a voluntary appeal.<\/p>\n The move fits within a broader pattern in Zimbabwe where state institutions\u00a0are often\u00a0mobilised\u00a0to advance ruling party interests. Analysts note that local authorities\u2014many of which are already financially constrained\u2014may feel compelled to comply to avoid political repercussions, particularly in a highly\u00a0centralised\u00a0governance system where the Ministry of Local Government exercises significant control.<\/p>\n The directive also raises questions about the\u00a0politicisation\u00a0of public resources and the boundaries between state and party.While government officials may frame the biography as a historical or educational resource, detractors see it as part of a long-standing tradition of personality cult-building and the use of state machinery to reinforce political narratives.<\/p>\n At a time when many local authorities are struggling to deliver basic services, the\u00a0prioritisation\u00a0of book purchases linked to the President is likely to intensify debate over governance priorities and accountability in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n \t\t\t<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n \nRelated<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n