The
government
of
Zimbambwe
has
ordered
local
authorities
to
buy
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
biography
to
be
distributed
in
libariers
and
schools
nationwide.
Per-Anders
Pettersson/Getty
Images
-
Zimbabwe’s
government
has
directed
local
authorities
to
buy
President
Mnangagwa’s
biography, A
Life
of
Sacrifice,
for
schools
and
communities. -
Critics
view
the
move
as
an
attempt
to
bolster
Mnangagwa’s
image
amid
efforts
to
extend
his
presidency. -
The
book,
written
by
Eddie
Cross,
highlights
Mnangagwa’s
role
in
the
liberation
struggle
and
has
been
translated
into
major
Zimbabwean
languages.
John
Basera,
the
permanent
secretary
in
the
Ministry
of
Local
Government
and
Public
Works,
instructed
town
clerks,
secretaries
and
chief
executive
officers
to
buy
the
book.
“In
this
regard,
you’re
implored
to
make
the
necessary
arrangements
to
procure
this
invaluable
book
for
the
benefit
of
your
communities,”
he
said.
Titled A
Life
of
Sacrifice (2021),
the
book
was
written
by
Mnangagwa’s
then
economic
advisor,
former
opposition
politician
Eddie
Cross.
The
book
highlights
Mnangagwa’s
role
in
the
liberation
struggle,
his
imprisonment,
his
contributions
during
the
liberation
war
in
the
1970s,
and
his
time
as
a
cabinet
minister
and
president.
The
book
was
translated
into
some
of
the
main
Zimbabwean
languages:
IsiNdebele,
ChiShona
and
Tonga.
Basera
said
it
retails
at
R278,
but
for
bulk
purchases
of
at
least
100,
the
price
is
discounted
to
R246.
Critics
argue
that
the
forced
purchases
are
an
attempt
to
spruce
up
Mnangagwa’s
public
persona.
This
is
at
a
time
when
the
governing
party,
Zanu-PF,
in
parliament
tabled
a
controversial
constitutional
amendment
that
seeks
to
extend
Mnangagwa’s
stay
in
office,
granting
him
sweeping
powers
but
undermining
democracy.
Political
analyst
Zama
Mkhwanazi
said:
The
book
is
a
puff
piece.
When
it
was
released
in
2021,
it
contained
a
lot
of
issues
that
left
us
with
many
questions.
It
is
the
best
product
out
there
that
speaks
positively
about
Mnangagwa.
It
sells
his
image.
“I
think
the
timing
to
flood
schools
and
public
institutions
with
it
has
all
to
do
with
his
political
future,”
said
Zama
Mkhwananzi,
a
political
analyst.
Since
coming
to
power
through
a
coup
in
November
2017,
Mnangagwa
has
had
10
roads
renamed
after
him
in
10
cities
nationwide
under
Statutory
Instrument
167
of
2020.
Last
year,
a
traffic
junction
separating
traffic
to
Harare,
the
capital
city,
was
given
a
R1.4-billion
facelift
and
named
Trabablas,
Mnangagwa’s
nickname.