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Non-Fiction - Politics~Rhodesia / Zimbabwe~~~4678~4679~Politics (Rhodesia / Zimbabwe)%3Cbr%3EBooks on Southern Rhodesian Zimbabwe history politics government, UDI, %3CBR%3EIan Smith, Robert Bob Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo, %3CBR%3ERhodesian Front, Zimbabwe farms farm takeovers confiscations, Zimbabwean war vetrans violence intimitations. Includes popular titles%3A African Tears%3A The Zimbabwe Land Invasions - Catherine Buckle, Beyond Tears%3A Zimbabwe%27s Tragedy - Catherine Buckle, Bitter Harvest - The Great Betrayal and the Dreadful Aftermath by Ian Smith, The Battle for Zimbabwe%3A The Final Countdown - Geoff Hill. Zimbabwe Political parties Zanu-PF MDF elections~
A Matter of Weeks rather than Months:: The Impasse between Harold Wilson and Ian Smith: Sanctions, Aborted Settlements and War: 1965-1969 - J R T Wood~J.R.T. Wood's third definitive book on the post-Second World War history of Rhodesia chronicles the impasse between Rhodesia's Ian Smith and Britain's Harold Wilson in the years 1965-1969.
Trafford 2008. ISBN 1-4251-4807-7. Paperback (softcover) 763 pages.~~A Matter of Weeks rather than Months|ISBN 1425148077|~4678~11879~~
African Tears: The Zimbabwe Land Invasions - Catherine Buckle~The true story of a white farmer in Zimbabwe living side by side with war veterans for 7 months, under constant scrutiny and intimidation. Make-shift homes were erected on the grazing fields and their stock dams and timber plantations were "liberated". The family was left emotionally broken, psychologically crippled and driven to the brink of bankruptcy. They and their farm labourers were harassed and tortured, their livestock killed, their fields roamed by packs of hunting dogs and the farm - eventually burned to the ground. It remains undesignated, unlisted and not required by the government for compulsory acquisition. It chronicles the hardships felt by many Zimbabwean farmers and their families and tells of the destruction of the country's economy, collapse of tourism and ruination of agriculture.
ISBN 1 86842 140 6, 243pp, 14 b/w photos

NB - Follow-up sequel Beyond Tears: Zimbabwe's Tragedy below.
NOTE - see 'Special Offers' section at bottom of this page~Jonathan Ball
ISBN 1-86842-140-69, 222x152mm, 264pp, 14 b/w photos


African Tears: The Zimbabwe Land Invasions, was Catherine Buckle's first book about the devastation of Zimbabwe's farming sector.In it, she describes how in 1990 she and her husband became the proud owners of Stow Farm, with the approval of the Zanu-PF government. They borrowed money at high interest rates to turn the farm into a viable financial enterprise and within seven years they had paid off the loan and were free of debt.

But on 28 February 2000, a mob of men claiming to be veterans of the 1980 War for Independence arrived at their farm gate. The so-called `war vets' claimed that the farm and everything on it was now their property, and that they had come to take back what had been stolen from their ancestors.

African Tears is Cathy's horrifying account of what then transpired. It is the story of her family's experiences and describes the horror of their home, livelihood and investment being taken away from them.

Sadly, the situation in Zimbabwe has continued to deteriorate and African Tears has been reprinted due to public demand. Cathy has also written a second book, Beyond Tears: Zimbabwe's Tragedy, in which she continues to tell the truth about the happenings in her beloved country.Both books are moving testaments to the horror that has been unleashed by President Robert Mugabe's exploitative land policy and the corruption which is running riot in a country that faces both starvation and financial ruin.


`The human effects of Mugabe's madness told as never before. Frightening: it could be repeated in South Africa.' - James Mitchell, Books Editor, The Star, Johannesburg.

`It is not over yet.' - Trevor Ncube, Publisher and CEO of the Zimbabwe Independent and the Standard.~African Tears|ISBN 1868421406|~4678~1446~African Tears%3A The Zimbabwe Land Invasions - Catherine Buckle~
Beyond Tears: Zimbabwe's Tragedy - Catherine Buckle~Beyond Tears is a sequel to African Tears: The Zimbabwe Land Invasions (see above) and is a searing indictment of the Zimbabwe Government's desperate land grab, the destruction of the country's agricultural sector, and the suffering of those who worked and lived on those farms. It is, indeed, a horrifying story of how a country is being destroyed by a government determined to retain power at all costs.
In the book, she talks to the family of a murdered farmer and to five farmers who were abducted with him from the apparent safety of a police station. She also interviews two women who were viciously raped and afterwards found it difficult to find anyone who would help them.
Then, she goes back to her once-thriving farm and finds it has been turned into a squatter camp. Beyond Tears is a sequel to her moving account of how she and her husband turned a 1000 hectare rocky piece of land near Marondera into a productive farm, only to lose it to a group of so called "war veterans" ten years later.
ISBN 1-86842-139-2, 222x152mm, 264pp, 14 b/w photos
NOTE - see 'Special Offers' section at bottom of this page~~Beyond Tears|ISBN 1868421392|~4678~1449~Beyond Tears%3A Zimbabwe%27s Tragedy - Catherine Buckle~
Bitter Harvest - The Great Betrayal and the Dreadful Aftermath by Ian Smith~Updated edition of Ian Smith's bestselling The Great Betrayal.
Ian Smith, Rhodesia's former Prime Minister, is a man with the ability to excite powerful emotions in all who hear his name. To those who revere him he is a hero, a mighty leader, a man whose formidable integrity led him into head-to-head confrontation with the Labour Government of Britain in the 1960s.To others he is a demon. In his revealing autobiography Ian Smith himself tells the truth about his remarkable political career. His historic Declaration of Independence in 1965 and the excesses of the Mugabe dictatorship that succeeded him.
'When I look back over what had happened to our country [Rhodesia] over the past 20 years, it would be easy for me to simply say:"I told you so," ' said Ian Smith in the foreword to his book. It is all clearly laid down in the pages of this book. As Mugabe told him on the day they won the election in March 1980: 'We cannot get over how fortunate we are inheriting this jewel of Africa, with its expertise, professionalism, technological know-how, infrastructure, the bread basket of Central Africa, and the skilled technicians who keep the wheels running.' He had it all at his fingertips. ........Today it is a total disaster, absolute chaos indeed anarchy.
435pp; 233 X 153mm; 16pp b/w pics
ISBN 1868421090 Softback, 2001. Out of Stock / Print
ISBN 1903402050 Hardback, 2001, 2nd Edition~~Bitter Harvest (Hardback)|ISBN 1903402050|Bitter Harvest (Softback)|ISBN 1868421090|~4678~1450~Bitter Harvest - The Great Betrayal and the Dreadful Aftermath by Ian Smith~
Came the Fourth Flag - Bill Crabtree~This is the fascinating story of Bill Crabtree, his life as a mounted trooper in the British South Africa Police BSAP in the then Southern Rhodesia and his eventual rise to become Deputy Commissioner of police in Rhodesia. During World War II he was seconded to serve as a commissioned officer with British forces in the Middle East and the Italian Dodecanese Islands of the Aegean. After WW2 he was back in Rhodesia and became the OC Special Branch and Deputy Director of the Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation. He was deeply involved with other security services in combatting the rise of armed insurrection in the country. In 1970, he accepted a diplomatic position with security/intelligence connocations in Greece, with associated responsibilities further afield in the Middle East. He eventually retired from government service in 1982 and immigrated to South Africa. (Fourth Flag - a reference to the four changes of ensign in Rhodesia)
ISBN 1-904244-19-X Hardback, 336pp, size 240 X 164mm. Illustrated with b/w pics.~~Came the Fourth Flag|ISBN 190424419X|~4678~11656~Came the Fourth Flag - Bill Crabtree, British South Africa Police, bsap, Rhodesian Central Intelligence Organisation CIO,~
Cry Zimbabwe - Peter Stiff~This book deals with Zimbabwe’s independence, the elections crooked in ZANU-PF’s favour in 1980 and at every election since. South Africa’s destabilisation, genocide by Mugabe’s 5-Brigade in Matabeleland, Mugabe’s failed attempt to bring in his faulty constitution, the farm invasions, the murders and the mayhem in the lead-up to the 2000 elections.~~Cry Zimbabwe|ISBN 0919854027|~4678~1456~Cry Zimbabwe - Peter Stiff~
Face of Courage: A Biography of Morgan Tsvangirai - Sarah Hudleston~Against a backdrop of the social, political and economic developments in Zimbabwe, this book focuses on the life and career of Morgan Tsvangirai. It draws on interviews with Tsvangirai and those close to him in order to provide a look at an internationally respected man who has dedicated himself to restoring Zimbabwe to a workable democracy.
ISBN-13: 978-1770130050, 2005. Paperback, 224 pages ~Publisher: Double Storey (30 Jun 2005)
ISBN-10: 1770130055
ISBN-13: 978-1770130050
Paperback: 224 pages



Morgan Tsvangirai had an advantage over many other rural Rhodesian children born in the 1950s - his parents believed he should receive the best possible education to ensure his future. The first of nine children, Tsvangirai made the most of his schooling and subsequent opportunities, which saw him start his working life as a sweeper in a textile factory and move on to the Trojan Nickel Mine as a plant operator.

It was here that Tsvangirai's involvement with the mining trade union began, and in 1985 he took up the full-time position of vice-president of Zimbabwe's Associated Mine Workers Union. Three years later he became secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). Over the next ten years Tsvangirai played a key role in uniting Zimbabwe's trade union and civil movements into an informal opposition to the Zanu-PF government of Robert Mugabe. This culminated, in September 1999, in the launch of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Under Tsvangirai's leadership, the MDC contested the 2000 parliamentary election and the 2002 presidential election, both hampered by electoral irregularities and intimidation, including two sets of treason charges levelled at Tsvangirai.

Against a backdrop of the wider social, political and economic developments in Zimbabwe, "The Face of Courage" focuses on the life and career of Morgan Tsvangirai. It draws on extended interviews with Tsvangirai and those close to him in order to provide an in-depth look at an internationally respected man who has dedicated himself to restoring Zimbabwe to a workable democracy.~Face of Courage|ISBN-13 9781770130050|~4678~11410~~
Foredoomed is my Forest: The Diary of a Zimbabwe Farmer - Richard F. Wiles~In a move instigated by Mugabe, the author, Richard Wiles, tells of the violence and terror which accompanied the seizures of farms owned by white farmers. He relates his own harrowing experiences when his farm is invaded by brutish thugs, who proceed to terrify his farm workers, disrupt his farming operations, and threaten him with death if he does not comply with their demands.
ISBN 1412055849. 2006 Paperback, 360 pages, black and white photographs~Trafford Publishing
ISBN 1412055849
Paperback, 360 pages, black and white photographs


The setting is Zimbabwe. In a move instigated by Zimbabwean President Mugabe, the author, Richard Wiles, tells of the violence and terror which accompanied the seizures of farms owned by white farmers. He relates his own harrowing experiences when his farm is invaded by brutish thugs, who proceed to terrify his farm workers, disrupt his farming operations, and threaten him with death if he does not comply with their demands.

Richard Wiles has established a woodland nature reserve on his property which the government has proclaimed a Protected Forest. As an avid environmentalist, it is his passionate love and concern. He is determined that the government should not rescind on the legal status which it has enshrined on the forest. Likewise, he will fight by every legal means to keep his home of 40 years, 33 of which he has shared with his wife, Beth, who lies in her grave in a quiet clearing of the wildlife sanctuary.

The action begins in 2000. It was then that Mugabe recalled the guerillas who had helped him to power in 1980. He put them on the payroll and sent them onto farms to act as "political protesters". They were known throughout Zimbabwe as War vets. It was a group of these War vets who came onto the author's farm and set up their base in the farm village. From that moment they played havoc with ordered life. It was then too that Richard Wiles began writing a diary. This became the basis of the present book.

Within the pages he tells of the diabolical nature of the War vets and the maddening ambivalence of the police and ministerial officials. Unending stress and frustration will move him to dispair. Withal, when writing up his diary, his innate sense of humour will often break the surface.~Foredoomed is my Forest|ISBN 1412055849|~4678~11037~Foredoomed is my Forest%3A The Diary of a Zimbabwe Farmer, Richard F. Wiles~
House of Stone: The True Story of a Family Divided in War-torn Zimbabwe - Christina Lamb~This book presents a powerful and intensely human insight into the civil war in Zimbabwe, focusing on a white farmer and his maid who find themselves on opposing sides. In 2000, after Robert Mugabe had launched his controversial land reform programme, Nigel Hough held on to a fervent hope that he might keep hold of his ostrich farm. A few months later, however, he arrived home to see his family residence and livelihood violently seized by veterans - and to his shock saw his former maid Akwe at their head. By tracing the intertwining lives of the Nigel and Akwe - rich and poor, white and black, master and maid - Christina Lamb not only presents both sides of the Zimbabwean dilemma, but captures in achingly intimate terms her own uplifting conviction that, although savaged, there is still hope for one of Africa's most beautiful countries.
ISBN 9780007219391, Paperback 230 pages, Feb 2007.~~House Of Stone|ISBN13 9780007219391|~4678~11482~~
Jambanja - Eric Harrison~A memoir and personal account of a Zimbabwean farmer and the Land Invasions. This humorous and devastatingly poignant novel is a fact based story of a white African's agonizing battle to save his home, farm and family from brutal and intimidating terror attacks. A Major Work, exploring the collective character of a rebellious Nation torn apart by racism and rationalization and offering an exciting insight into relationships between good governance and State sponsored thuggery and terrorism. The reader is taken into the story with such gut-wrenching reality, that putting down the book, is like fighting your way out of a vivid dream.
Eric Harrison 2007, Softback 216 pages.~Eric Richard Harrison / Lulu, 2007
Softback, 216 pages.



He didn't say a word as Whitehat stepped forward. "We are the new owners of Maioio Farm." He said menacingly, as he pointed to the other three. "You have got 24 hours to get off ... now move it!"

Harry, a white Zimbabwean farmer, has fought to create a life out from under the shadow of war. From meagre beginnings he carves a successful citrus farm from the "dirt" of a newly-built settlement, only to have it ripped away in a series of vicious and shocking attacks. His family, friends and faith are sorely tested as he struggles to fight back "by the book."

Eric Harrison was inspired to write Jambanja after realising how uninformed those outside Zimbabwe are about the intimidation policies implemented by the government of Zimbabwe in the name of Land Redistribution.

A true Zimbabwean, born in the heart of the country, the author grew up amongst many challenges. He lived and worked with the local population, developing enduring friendships, and learning and respecting their customs and cultures... He grew up immersed in the Rhodesian political arena in a tumultuous era in that country's history. He had been a soldier in the Rhodesian forces, and ended the war as a Pilot in the Police Reserve Air-Wing. Eric Harrison has farmed in Zimbabwe for over 30 years.

Forced by "Jambanja" to leave their farm in South Eastern Zimbabwe, Eric and his wife Joan now live in Harare. They continue to fight for the restitution of their rights, dignity and self respect and those of the hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans of all races who have lost everything.

The purpose of documenting this heart-searing reality is to give them all a voice....


Extracted from the book ....

PREFACE

Much has been written about the legalities of who owned the land shortly after the arrival of the first colonials. The commercial farmer in Zimbabwe, today finds himself in a situation very similar to that of countries like America and Australia, where settlers found that the local population lived a simple and. arguably happy life, oblivious to the ways of the "first world. '

It was natural then that when the colonials did arrive., they brought with them new ideas that did not exist before and hence, development took place at a remark-able rate. In every successfully developed country., land tenure is in place to enable the title owner to use his property as collateral. Without this, loans that enable the. fanner to develop his investment would not be made available.

In the year 2000, at a stroke of a pen, the President of Zimbabwe changed the Constitution, declaring, "the people of Zimbabwe have been unjustifiably dispossessed of their land.". In other words, that the land had been stolen and everything that had gone into developing the land - the years of work, sacrifice and involvement - counted for nothing, Shortly afterwards, he unleashed the war veterans onto commercial farms, unconstitutionally and illegally, forcing the farmers off the land.

This is a true story and like all stories. the storyteller is a part of it too. It is my story. my life but I have told it from the outside. It is a complex and difficult situation in Zimbabwe and I had to take a step back from the intensity of it all to give you, the fullest and fairest picture that I could, so you could make, up your own mind about the justice or injustices done in the name of 'land redistribution'.

There were over 4.500 commercial farmers, their workers plus families at the start of the land invasions.

4,500 stories - this is just one of them.

Eric "Harry" Harrison~Jambanja|8875|~4678~11532~zimbabwe farm invasions, zimbabwe State sponsored thuggery terrorism~
Law, Land Reform and Social Justice: A case for Zimbabwe - Tom Tirivangani~The Land question in Zimbabwe has generated a lot of heated controversy all over the world. It has assumed an international dimension. The Land reform that the government of Zimbabwe is pursuing has become also a site of conflict and contention between Western liberal notions of democracy and human rights and those of Zimbabwe’s hard core Liberation fighters, who see the government’s Fast Track Land Reform program as an integral and indispensable process to complete the Zimbabwean liberation project, which started with the struggle for independence. This book makes a fresh look at the land question in Zimbabwe and explores the interface between land reform and human rights. It also explores critically the weaknesses and strengthens of the government of Zimbabwe’s land reform program and makes recommendations of the direction that land reform ought to take in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa. In the last chapter the book attempts to make an objective evaluation of the land reform program in Zimbabwe. The book is very useful to anyone interested in understanding how the Land question in Zimbabwe started and how it has developed over the years. It is also useful to lecturers and students involved in studying the subject of Land reform. It is perhaps the first book that attempts to make a serious analysis of landlessness as a human rights issue.
ISBN-13 9781418441357, Paperback.~Authorhouse, 2007
ISBN-13 9781418441357, paperback


About the Author

Tom Tirivangani is the Acting Principal and Founder of the International Business College, an ethnic minority college in the United Kingdom. He was born in Zimbabwe and practiced as an attorney of the High court and Supreme Court of Zimbabwe and was the senior partner of a firm of lawyers called Tirivangani & Associates before coming to study at Warwick University in the United Kingdom. He served on a number of committees and boards while he was in Zimbabwe. Tom has also presented programs on human rights on Radio and TV. Tom is a keen human rights and social justice activist. He has run programs on democracy and voting in rural areas in Zimbabwe. Currently he works mainly with refugees in the United Kingdom. His interest in Land reform span many years and has made numerous presentations on this subject over the years and has also offered legal advice to many organizations dealing with land reform in Africa. His other interests are on issues of Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has recently completed a course with the United Nations.


Extracts

Chapter One
Land Reform and its meaning in pre-colonial Zimbabwean Society.

Land has been defined in ordinary grammatical meaning generally as,
"1 any part of the earth's surface not covered by a body of water, the part of the earth's surface occupied by continents and islands,
2 an area of ground with reference to its nature or composition: arable land".

Legally it has been defined as
"any part of the earth's surface that can be owned as property and everything annexed ton it by nature or by human hand, any legal interest held in land".
Economically it has been defined also as
" Natural resources as a factor of production or as part of the earth marked off by natural or political boundaries or the like, a region or country" .

Having carefully analysed the different definitions being put forward it is important to mention that the meaning of land and extent of its significance vary from society to society. In most societies land is regarded merely as an economic factor or as a means of production.

Land in pre-colonial Zimbabwean society played a significant role in the religious, economic and political life of the black people and as a result shaped the outlook of most tribal societies in the country. Land ownership was always communal and not private. In shona tribal society land was regarded as a gift from God popularly known as Chipo Chamusikavanhu or Nyadenga . The land was therefore entrusted to the ancestors by God and held in trust by the community for the benefit of everyone in that community. The chief and council of elders had the responsibility of allocating land on behalf of the ancestors to those who were in need of land. It is important to point out that (Ranger 1975) land could never be sold or be owned privately . Because of traditional religious value of land it was therefore widely believed in pre-colonial Zimbabwean society that it could not be expropriated for exclusive private use and for purpose of profit at the expense of the whole community . Thus the appropriation of land for private use as the Europeans led by Cecil John Rhodes did was considered a desecration and an affront to the culture and customary laws that governed access, control and ownership of land in Zimbabwe. Because of the sanctity of land even at time of colonial invasion the Shona people never suspected that the white people would take over their land. They believed that if the white colonialists attempted to take over their land by force, the spirit mediums and the dead ancestors would punish them severely. Martin & Johnson (1981) argue that, "this was due to the Mashona concept of something very sacred… chinoyera- belonging to the whole tribe but held in trust by the chiefs and elders whose duty it was to allot it to those who needed it. Land given to an individual did not become his property in the European sense of the word. It only meant that he could use it and that his family and descendants could have a first claim over its use…. Land was sacred because it contained the graves of ancestors. These ancestors were very part of the day today thinking of the people. People's actions and behaviour were in one way or another affected by their belief in the proximity and power of their ancestors in the same way that Christianity and Islam have inspired some men's thoughts and deeds… Land in which the ancestors were buried was not only sacred but it was also the link between the past, the present and future members of the tribe. The Mashona had nothing to fear from the whites, not knowing that the members of the invaders had been promised 1,500 000 acres of land and that they had the firepower to support their expropriation. Once the Mashona realised what was happening an uprising was inevitable and in this the spirit mediums, the link between the dead and the living were to play a vital role ". It needs no overemphasis that the African conception of land was radically different from that of the west or America.~Law, Land Reform and Social Justice|ISBN-13 9781418441357|~4678~11549~~
My Life With An Unsung Hero - Vesta Sithole~The purpose of the book is to show how Zimbabwe’s armed struggle was started and who participated in the beginning. The author seeks to clarify some misrepresentations of events as they have been described. The book also tries to show the foresighted thinking of Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole, the founder of ZANU.
ISBN-13 9781425901769, Paperback. ISBN-13 9781425901776, Hardcover.~Authorhouse, 2007
ISBN-13 9781425901769, Paperback
ISBN-13 9781425901776, Hardcover


About the Author

The author was born Vesta Zvemwaida Saungweme in 1942, in the Eastern Highlands area of Melseter (Chimanimani), in then Southern Rhodesia. At the young age of 19, the author left her beloved home for Tanganyika, ending her nursing career midway to contribute to the liberation struggle. She crossed the Zambezi River with the political party ZAPU, which planned to form a government in exile. The author witnessed first hand the breakup of ZAPU, the formation of ZANU which she joined, and other subsequent parties. The author participated in Zimbabwe's journey to freedom by helping to recruit people for military training; sheltering some of the freedom fighters and fundraising for the party. She also helped by working in the ZANU office. As a result of her active participation in Zimbabwe's road to freedom, the author was harassed, jailed and subjected to mistreatment by both the Rhodesian security forces and her fellow citizens.

In 1967, the author married Tanzanian banker and economist Jackson Mwakalyelye, with whom she has four children. She was widowed in 1972. In 1980 the author married the liberation fighter and founder of ZANU, the late Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole.

To this day, the author is committed to speaking out against the injustices of her fellow citizens by the government of Robert Mugabe. Having sacrificed her life for the struggle to free Zimbabwe, the author strongly believes Zimbabweans deserve the freedom they fought for.

By writing this book, the author hopes to present a first-hand account of events that led to Zimbabwe’s struggle for independence. It is the author’s intentions to simply clarify some misrepresentation of events as they have been described. The author also seeks to inform people about the thousands of people who participated in the country’s journey to independence, but never received any recognition from those in power. Most importantly, the author wants to show the foresighted thinking of Reverend Ndabaningi Sithole.~My Life With An Unsung Hero (PB)|ISBN-13 9781425901769|My Life With An Unsung Hero (HB)|ISBN-13 9781425901776|~4678~11548~~
Our Votes, Our Guns: Robert Mugabe and the Tragedy of Zimbabwe - Martin Meredith~A extremely informative and very readable story of how a wealthy and well developed country turned into a major tragedy over a period of twenty years after a crippling war of independence whilst under Mugabe's control. The saddest aspect is while matters started very promisingly with the country ripe for a muti racial experiment, and similarly to South Africa, the early use of force to remove tribal opposition was then applied unremmitingly to the white minority with fatal long term effects on the country's economy.That inequality existed and changes were needed on land distribution were clear - the redistribution when it occurred was done in such a manner that not only were the whites permanently alienated but the corruption and lack of planning as to what to do afterwards has had fatal consequences with mass poverty, unrest and a wealthy and corrupt elite destroying the future prospects for the poorer native populace of the country.The control of every facet by Mugabe's Zanu Party whenever challenged has been met with violence from local opposition using North Korean trained cadres to outright intimidation of the judiciary, who are one of the real heroes in this story.
ISBN: 158648186X, Paperback. 2003, 256 pages.~~Our Votes, Our Guns|ISBN 158648186X|~4678~11033~Our Votes, Our Guns%3A Robert Mugabe and the Tragedy of Zimbabwe - Martin Meredith~
Sanctions Double-Cross: Oil to Rhodesia - Jorge Jardim~Jorge Jardim, the Portuguese businessman-cum-diplomat who, from 1965 to 1974, co-ordinated the oil-to-Rhodesia operations, tells why the oil embargo failed during Rhodesia's UDI. He was the trusted right-hand man of the Portuguese Prime Minister Salazar and claims that from the very beginning sanctions against Rhodesia were a double-cross game. They became a farce between the multi-national oil companies and the complicity or, at least, the indifferent apathy of their governments. His avowed aim in writing this controversial book was to clear the name of Portugal which had been blamed for the failure of sanctions, and to show up the real sanctions-busters in what he called "an awe-inspiring international conspiracy".
ISBN 0 86920 197 2, Books of Rhodesia, 1972, S/B~~Sanctions Double-Cross|C ISBN 0869201972|~4678~1462~Sanctions Double-Cross%3A Oil to Rhodesia - Jorge Jardim~
So Far and No Further!: Rhodesia’s Bid for Independence during the Retreat from Empire 1959-1965 - JRT Wood~This definitive account traces Rhodesia's attempt to secure independence during the retreat from Empire after 1959. Based on unique research, it reveals why Rhodesia defied the world from 1965. Given the headlong rush of the Macmillan government in Britain in 1959 to be rid of its colonies, Rhodesia should have been the first African colony in line for independence. Rhodesia was self-governing, and possessed most powers, including the right of self-defence. Being in the condition of New Zealand before the grant of dominion status, it seemed logical that Rhodesia would become a dominion. However, many obstacles hindered this political progression. So Far and No Further! chronicles the British attempts to force white-ruled Rhodesia to accept the inevitability of majority rule, and to deny her independence on any other basis. Majority rule was something that Rhodesia’s whites understood was inevitable, but they also knew that, until democratic practices were well grounded, it would be disastrous.
ISBN 0958489025, 2005, Paperback, 533 pages~ISBN 0958489025, 2005,
Paperback, 533 pages


From the book's jacket....

Ian Smith's unilateral declaration of independence for Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) on 11 November 1965 was seen by many as the act of a rebellious white minority seeking to preserve their privileged position in defiance of Britain's determination to shed her Empire and introduce rule by the African majority as soon as possible.

However, the drama of UDI has long overshadowed and oversimplified the complexities of the preceding years. In this account of that time, based on sole access to the hitherto closed papers of Ian Douglas Smith and Sir Roy Welensky, as well as extensive research at London's Public Record Office, and in government and private collections elsewhere, Dr J.R.T. Wood chronicles the collision course on which Britain and Rhodesia were set after 1959, complementing his study of the fate of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland in his definitive 'The Welensky Papers: A History of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1953-1963'.

Britain, Wood shows, was intent on shedding her Empire as quickly as possible against a backdrop of the Cold War and the rise of Chinese- and Soviet-sponsored African nationalism. She delivered some 600 one man, one vote constitutions to her fledgling nations and had no intention of granting Rhodesia independence on different terms. Unlike Britain's other African possessions, however, Rhodesia had enjoyed self-governance since 1923. The largely white Rhodesian electorate, wary of the consequences of premature and ill-prepared majority rule, sought instead dominion status akin to that of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Their intention was gradually to pave the way for majority rule: since 1923, Rhodesia's electoral qualifications had excluded race. It was always understood that the African majority would acquire power; the concern was the speed and smoothness of that acquisition.

Culminating in those dramatic days of November 1965 when Ian Smith concluded in the face of resolute British stonewalling that he had no alternative but UDI, this unique account is the first in a series which chronicles the course of events that ultimately led to Robert Mugabe's accession to power in 1980, and all that entailed.~So Far and No Further!|ISBN 1412049520|So Far and No Further!|Z ISBN 1412049520|~4678~11035~So Far and No Further!%3A Rhodesia’s Bid for Independence during the Retreat from Empire 1959-1965, JRT Wood~
The Assassination of Herbert Chitepo: Texts and Politics in Zimbabwe - Luise White~On March 18, 1975, Herbert Chitepo, an African nationalist in exile and chairman of the war council that struggled to liberate Zimbabwe from white-ruled Rhodesia, was killed by a car bomb. Since then, there have been four confessions and at least as many accusations about who was responsible. In this book, Luise White does not set out to resolve questions about who was accountable for this murder. Instead, in a style that is as much murder mystery as it is history writing, she uncovers what is at stake in the various confessions and why Chitepo's assassination continues to incite conflict and controversy in Zimbabwe's national politics. White casts doubt on official accounts of the murder and addresses how and for whom history is written and how myths and ideas about civic culture were founded in war-torn Zimbabwe. Although the truth about the assassination of Herbert Chitepo may never be known, readers will discover how one man's murder continues to unsettle Zimbabwe.
ISBN-13: 978-0253216083, Paperback. July 2003. 128 pages.~~The Assassination of Herbert Chitepo|ISBN-13 9780253216083|~4678~11358~The Assassination of Herbert Chitepo%3A Texts and Politics in Zimbabwe~
The Battle for Zimbabwe: The Final Countdown - Geoff Hill~A lively narrative of Zimbabwe’s history paves the way for understanding the present situation in a nation once hailed as an African success story. In a blow-by-blow report on the events of recent years, the author takes us behind the scenes in the opposition MDC party and the governing ZANU-PF party, the land invasions, the presidential elections, the massacre of thousands of Zimbabweans, and the enriching of the ruling elite. In interviews with ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe, ZANU-PF members, opposition supporters, torture victims and exiles, a picture emerges of a country torn apart by its violent past, its oppressed present and its uncertain future. While politicians in Africa, Washington and London debate a political solution to the problems of Zimbabwe, its people face poverty, starvation and hardship. Dissenters are tortured, imprisoned or forced to flee for their lives; more than three million Zimbabweans are living in exile. Yet shining through the gripping, often harrowing narrative, is the Zimbabwean people’s abiding love for their beautiful but tormented land. In the deadly battle for the future, it is their story that is told here.
ISBN 1868726525 Hardback, 304 pages, 230mm x 150mm. Published Oct 2003.~~The Battle for Zimbabwe|ISBN 1868726525|~4678~1470~The Battle for Zimbabwe%3A The Final Countdown - Geoff Hill~
Through the Darkness: A Life in Zimbabwe - Judith Garfield Todd~Judith Todd, the daughter of Sir Garfield Todd, erstwhile prime minister of colonial Southern Rhodesia, spent eight years in exile in Britain as an opponent of white minority rule in Ian Smith’s Rhodesia. She returned to Zimbabwe shortly before independence in 1980, and soon realised that, far from being the solution to Zimbabwe’s ills, Robert Mugabe and his ruling Zanu (PF) party were increasingly becoming the problem. As the country slid into economic and social decline, Todd had a front-row view from her position as director of a local development agency. Over the first 25 years of Mugabe’s rule, she kept journals, notes and copies of letters and documents from which she has compiled an intensely personal account of life in Zimbabwe.
Zebra. ISBN: 9781770220027, May 2007. Softback, 460 pages.~Zebra
1/05/07
ISBN: 9781770220027
Softcover, 460 pages




For more than three decades, Judith Todd has been at loggerheads with successive governments of Zimbabwe. After being jailed and then exiled by Ian Smith's regime, she returned to her country in 1980 and soon realised that, far from being the solution to Zimbabwe's ills, Robert Mugabe and Zanu (PF) were increasingly becoming the problem.

As the country slid into social and economic decline, Todd's position as director of a local development agency gave her a unique vantage point from which to observe the increasing arrogance and cruelty of Zimbabwe's leaders and the suffering and struggles of ordinary citizens. Peopled with household names from diplomats and politicians to international correspondents and liberation leaders, Through the Darkness takes readers from the family ranch outside Bulawayo to Buckingham Palace, from the bowels of Zimbabwe's prisons to the inner sanctums of Mugabe's cabinet. It is also the story of the country's silenced people - their courage, their irrepressible humour, their hopes and their feelings of betrayal. Drawing from journals, letters and documents, this is a fascinating personal account of life in Zimbabwe.

'Judith . . . is a fiery critic of Mugabe, the more effective, and the more reviled by him, because of her impeccable chimurenga "struggle" credentials.' - Peter Godwin in When a Crocodile Eats the Sun




An extract:

Origins

"My father delivered me into Zimbabwe at impoverished Dadaya Mission in March 1943. A special ration of meat was provided for the school's boarders to celebrate the event. Many years later, one of those pupils, SG Mpofu, by that time managing director of the publishers Longman Zimbabwe, told me that while they had been glad of the meat, they regretted the birth of another white. Sam also said that each week during the Second World War, my parents being the only ones at Dadaya with access to news from a wireless, my father would report to the assembled school on the war's progress. 'He had no idea that in our little black hearts we were cheering on Hitler,' said Sam. 'We thought Hitler would get rid of you colonists for us.'

Grace and Garfield Todd had arrived in Southern Rhodesia as missionaries from New Zealand in 1934, accompanied by my older sister Alycen, then two. By 1948, my father, from the black background of Dadaya, had entered white politics, the only kind permitted in the then British colony, and become a member of parliament. In 1953 the country became part of a federation of three territories: the white, colonial-governed Southern Rhodesia, and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland - today's Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. The government of Southern Rhodesia, under the premiership of Sir Godfrey Huggins, moved lock, stock and barrel to take over the government of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, leaving clear decks for newcomers. My father became prime minister of Southern Rhodesia.

By 1958 he had been turfed out of government and parliament by the white electorate for working towards a democracy that would embrace the entire population of four million instead of just the quarter million who were white. In an attempt to silence his increasing opposition to minority rule, he was in 1965 restricted to his ranch for one year by the Rhodesian Front government of Prime Minister Ian Smith. This was just before Smith's unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) from Britain on 11 November, which unwittingly accelerated the outbreak of civil war. The declaration clearly demonstrated that if ever there was to be majority rule, it would have to be fought for.

In January 1972, my father and I were arrested. The police presented us with detention orders signed by Rhodesia's Minister of Law, Order and Justice:

'The making of this Order is based on a belief that you are likely to commit or to incite the commission of acts in Rhodesia which would endanger the public safety, or disturb or interfere with the maintenance of public order.'

We were respectively locked up in solitary confinement in the black male prisons of Gatooma, now Kadoma, and Marandellas, now Marondera. When news was smuggled out that I was on hunger strike, I was moved to the white female wing of Chikurubi Prison, Salisbury (now Harare), where there were medical facilities and I was force-fed until my strike was broken.

Thanks to worldwide protests, we were released from jail after five weeks and confined to my parents' house on their ranch, Hokonui. My father remained in detention until 1976.

In July 1972, I was allowed to leave my country for exile abroad. However, I remained classified as a detainee, which meant that my name could not be published in Rhodesia, and it was stipulated that if I returned home, it would be specifically to jail.

The 1979 Lancaster House conference brought an end to Rhodesia's civil war. Lord Soames was appointed governor. A new constitution that effectively revoked the illegal UDI was successfully introduced in Rhodesia's parliament on 11 December by the Minister of Justice, Chris Andersen. Parliament unanimously voted itself out of office, handing power back to the British. On the arrival of Lord Soames from London on 12 December, the country reverted to being the British Dependency of Southern Rhodesia.

Britain assumed power over her reclaimed colony until majority rule elections for a new government could be held and legitimate independence conferred. One of Lord Soames's first acts was to lift detention orders. I was able to return home and did so in February 1980.

At Zimbabwe's independence in April 1980, my father was appointed a senator by the new prime minister, Robert Mugabe. My father retired from public life in 1985, but on 5 June 1986, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace for services to New Zealand and to Africa. In 2002, he was stripped of his Zimbabwe citizenship and his right to vote by the Mugabe regime, and that October he died in Bulawayo.

Over the years I kept notes and copies of letters that have now turned into this book. It is neither a history nor an analysis of events, but simply charts one person's impressions along Zimbabwe's roller-coaster ride from its birth on 18 April 1980."~Through the Darkness|ISBN 9781770220027|~4678~11453~~
What Happens after Mugabe: Can Zimbabwe Rise From The Ashes? - Geoff Hill~After 25 years in power, Robert Mugabe is under increasing pressure to step down and allow democratic reform in Zimbabwe. Amnesty International rates the country among the worst for torture and abuse of human rights, the Commonwealth has suspended Zimbabwe's membership, and even in Africa there is growing outrage at what some see as a rogue state. In the past five years, millions of words have been written about the tragedy - including more than a dozen books - but few have focused on what might happen when freedom comes. As things stand, schools and hospitals have collapsed, a third of the population lives in exile and 3 000 people die of AIDS every week. Once Africa's second-biggest exporter of food, 70 per cent of the country lives under conditions of famine in the wake of violent land reform. What will it take to rebuild Zimbabwe? This gripping, incisive book discusses many relevant issues and asks serious questions, including:Will 4 million exiles go home to a country with 80 per cent unemployment? Should there be war-crimes trials? Can the economy be revived? Where will the billions of dollars come from that are needed to put things right? What Happens After Mugabe is meticulously researched, with material drawn from hundreds of interviews inside Zimbabwe and among exile communities in Britain, the US and South Africa.
ISBN 1770071024, Paperback. 2005, 192 pages.~~What Happens After Mugabe|ISBN 1770071024|~4678~11031~What Happens after Mugabe%3A Can Zimbabwe Rise From The Ashes? - Geoff Hill~
Where We Have Hope - Andrew Meldrum~An extraordinary and moving memoir by the journalist who lived for twenty years in Zimbabwe before being seized and illegally deported for writing 'bad things' about Mugabe's regime. A testament to the power of hope and courage of those who like Meldrum refuse to accept Mugabe's rule.
Meldrum's style is very easy going and you quickly feel involved in the book. There is sufficient background to provide one with a sense of having traced the country's progression (or lack of) since independence in 1980. Brilliantly written, so much so that even a novice in the subject of the political, economic and social history of Zimbabwe, is left with the whole true picture of what really is happening to that beautiful land now.
ISBN 0719566436, Paperback. 2005, 288 pages~~Where We Have Hope|ISBN 0719566436|~4678~11032~Where We Have Hope - Andrew Meldrum~
Without Honour - Robb JW Ellis~Without Honour is the true story of a white policeman in post-independant Zimbabwe. Join Robb as he details the brief history of Rhodesia and Zimbabwe, taking you to the beginnings of the dissident problem in the Matabeleland Province in early 1982 - the ambush and killings of two of his own friends - the tracking and ensuing gunfight with dissidents and the death of a work colleague. Witness the horrendous scenes as Robert Mugabe lets his North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade loose on the Matabele population. How Robb attempts to handle normal police work in the direct result of these heinous acts, with little or no support or direction. The discovery of dead bodies and the witnessing of the destruction of these - nothing makes sense anymore. What will he do? Spill the beans or walk away? Witness a surprise meeting that Robb has with Robert Mugabe at a luncheon and experience the subsequent decisions Robb has to make as he serves a government that is determined to serve the population "Without Honour" ...
Note - Fifth Brigade, drawn from 3500 ex-ZANLA combatants, was different to all other army units at the time, in that it was not integrated into the army. It was answerable only to the Prime Minister, and not to the normal army command structures. Their codes, uniforms, radios and equipment were not compatible with other army units. In 1988, Mugabe announced an amnesty for all dissidents, and later extended the amnesty to include all members of the security forces who had committed human rights violations.
Lulu 2007, Softback 248 pages.~Robb Ellis, 2007
Softback, 248 pages
B/W photos



Reviews

Review from Folksnyheter by Kenneth Walgren

"Fuck off! You fucking racist! Get yourself out of my country!"

To Robb WJ Ellis, a young white recently appointed policeman in Zimbabwe just after Robert Mugabe's accession to power, it was soon made clear what the new potentates thought of him. At the same time that Mugabe was being lauded by much of the rest of the world, his secret armies were murdering thousands of his political opponents and the ethnic cleansing of the country's white inhabitants continued.
Kenneth Wallgren from Swedish newspaper Folkets Nyheter reviews Robb WJ Ellis' book "Without Honour", a unique documentation from within African politics in practice.....

"The war was over and Robert Mugabe was the new leader of the country as its Prime Minister.

Independence came and went. The family stayed. I breathed a sigh of relief...

Mugabe had addressed the nation and had offered a "hand of reconciliation". He wasn't interested in what colour you were. He wasn't interested in who you fought for pre-1980… He didn't even care who you voted for in the election - he had secured 63% of the voters in the election that brought him and his party to power.

If you wanted to stay, you could stay. He just wanted people who would help build Zimbabwe into the pride of Africa.

And do you know the strange thing about his speech? We all believed it. We all swallowed it - hook, line and sinker."


The excerpt above is taken from "Without Honour", an book about Rhodesia, a grand white civilization that in 1980 was renamed Zimbabwe and subsequently turned into a black banana republic. The author, Rhodesian Robb WJ Ellis was working as a young policeman after the country's transition to Zimbabwe. The title of the book alludes to how Robert Mugabe is serving his country without honour.

Ellis chronologically depicts the development of Rhodesia up until the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) in 1965, which shocked the British and the rest of the world since no British colony had declared itself independent since the 4th of July 1776 when the United States of America was founded.

Next, Ellis tells about the Bush War in Rhodesia during the 1970's when several military elite forces were created, proving the Rhodesians to be the best soldiers in the world. He also describes the black terrorist groups and mentions how they were backed by the Soviet Union, China and North Korea. In his book he reminds us of the elements that took over after the White rule, elements who devoted themselves to robbery, murder and inconceivable violence against their fellow citizens, their political opponents in particular.

For at the same time as the leaders, media and leftwing intellectuals of the Western world unreservedly were lauding Robert Mugabe, the new black leader of Zimbabwe, Robb Ellis was forced to collect the body parts of people who were murdered by Robert Mugabe's North Korea trained 5th brigade and intelligence service (CIO). In the 1980's between 20,000 and 30,000 Zimbabweans of the Matabele tribe became the victims of genocide perpetrated by Mugabe and his supporters who were Shona, the largest tribe in Zimbabwe.

Criminal and "radical" elements took care of politics and the world at large had no objections. On the contrary! From then on, matters could only deteriorate.

Following an explanation of the country's historical background, Robb Ellis gives his personal reflections. He begins by explaining how it was emotionally very painful for him to write down his story. His dream had been to become - and remain - just an ordinary policeman. He wanted to solve crimes and make law-abiding citizens out of criminals. But it was not going to be as simple as that. Just like every good policeman he did his job and left his political opinions at home. He was young, had a sense of duty and did his job until his black superiors called him a racist, considered him to be a security risk and forced him into house-arrest.

In his book Robb Ellis describes a meeting with a representative of Zimbabwe's secret intelligence service, CIO. It took place in the beginning of the 1980's on the scene of a crime when Ellis was investigating a case in which a teacher had been murdered in cold blood by soldiers from Mugabe's secret army in front of his young pupils. Before the shooting of their teacher the children had been abused, threatened to death and forced to sing songs extolling the virtues of Robert Mugabe and his party, ZANU PF.

This was just the beginning of the witch hunt of whites in Zimbabwe perpetrated by the government, a witch hunt which later on was to claim many victims. The white farmers were threatened, deprived of all of their rights and were murdered. As the number of whites fleeing the country increased further, Zimbabwe became more and more traditionally African.

So far Robb Ellis, who summarizes his story hoping that one day it will be possible for him to re-establish himself in his old home country. This is a hope he shares with many Rhodesians.

Robb Ellis is one of all of those Rhodesians who have written down their stories. Like other Rhodesians he truly loves his country. When speaking to expatriates of Rhodesia we find that their relationship to their country is passionate. Losing their country was just the same as losing a great love. That is why there are so many, many stories of every detail of the country's history and they are almost always filled with a deep longing and the dream of being able to recreate what once was. But unfortunately that dream most probably will remain just a dream.

However, there is tremendously much to learn from what befell Rhodesia. The world powers have far from ceased putting pressure on white civilizations. They would rather have them all perish before the slanderers of people of European origin are satisfied. This is why it is important also for Swedes to learn from the fact that civilizations actually can perish and that this could well happen to Sweden soon.

I urge you to read Robb Ellis' book. Even though it is apolitical, it is enormously instructive and interesting."




Readers comments

"I have never set foot in Africa, but this book made me all the more aware that the atrocities you read about elsewhere also happen in Africa. The story left me in tears and I enjoyed the book thoroughly. A very easy read."

DM (United Kingdom)


"I have just finished reading your book and wow. Very emotional and sad! I enjoy your style of writing. I kept wondering how you dealt with witnessing such atrocities. It made me realise (again) why I left (South) Africa. Call me over cautious but I would rather get out early than go through what you did. Guess I'm a scaredy cat. I was surprised that they made such racist remarks to you at work! I have been called "whitey" in SA a few times in the street and while it was tempting to yell: Screw you kaffir! (or something like that) I didn't as I am sure I would have gotten jailed or the shit kicked out of me... or even worse... a bullet in the head. I still strongly believe blacks are FAR more racist than whites.

I enjoyed the bit about Robert Mugabe. Many people always say to me that the guy is a mad lunatic like Hitler or Stalin etc but I disagree. I think to get into a position like that requires intelligence. You don't get to that position in life from being an idiot! I'm not saying I agree with what Mugabe has done to Rhodesia (far from it) but I do not think he is mad... just power hungry and willing to do whatever it takes to stay in power. I just wonder when SA gets its first dictator...

Please don't stop writing, its people like you and Jan that make a difference. It would be great to listen to you again on the Right Perspective! I really enjoy the "raw" truth and that’s what I love about the internet. If you read/listen to the right sources you can get the greatest news ever. In fact, I don't even bother with reading the mainstream news/media anymore. I apply that way of thinking to all areas of my life. I have never followed the crowd nor do I plan to! "

TVD (United Kingdom)


"Overall, I found the book very good. The first bit, detailing the rise to power of Mugabe, was a little disjointing, too much jumping back and forward in time, which may lead to a little confusion with people who are not as familiar with Rhodesia's history as I am. But, once Robb gets on to his personal history in the police force, the story flowed well and held my attention.

I left Zimbabwe at the end of 1981, so I was intrigued to hear the real story of some of the events that happened after that. Robb has managed to recreate the atmosphere, feelings, and personalities such that I became emotionally involved in his story. The many pictures added spice to the story, and were very interesting.

Well done."

BB (Australia)


"I read your book and found it totally amazing, a very true and rare chronicle of the atrocities and horrors of the Gukurahundi and Mugabe’s reign of terror, an awakening of reality which no true Rhodesian or Zimbabwean, or in fact, anybody connected to our country should go without reading. Reading parts of your book was also dramatic and emotional for me."

RP (United Kingdom)


"I like the book, very hard hitting. The book is one that has a specific audience ie from that part of the world."

PWC (Central Asia)


"Just a short note to say that I really enjoyed the book and will certainly recommend it. Without question, Jan was right to encourage you to write this book as it is very informative. I have learnt so much about what life was like behind the scenes, a really good history lesson. Thanks again and good luck with your next book, if you are not writing another... get to it! Maybe a fiction novel?

DY (United Kingdom)


"Have just finished (and thoroughly enjoyed) "Without Honour". It brought all sorts of memories back - some not so welcome.

I wonder whether you recall the murder of four farmers at Somabula Country Club in the mid 80s by 'dissidents'? This was the community in which I grew up.

What I cannot understand is why you never took the plunge and did an LLB. It is obvious to me that you would have made a good lawyer."

MP (Unknown Location)


Robb, I came home and reread your book, cover to cover, absorbing every bloody word!

I felt I was there with you when you found Wally dead, the single quarters, Gwanda, the kraals, yikes man, it was way too real for me! Before, I had skimmed the book on computer because of interruptions etc - but this time, it all soaked in, page by page!

I could even see you sitting with Mugabe eating, trying to do your duty but not relishing the fact, loss of friends, black, white, leaving the police force. All in all one fantastic representation of what a decent police officer with no racial bias, but a deep sense of duty to his country, went through!

A fabulous book! Honest, if it wasn't I'd tell you!

I often wondered what life was like in early post Rhodesian days and this said it all!

PM (United States)


"I finally got to read Robb's book. It has been sitting there with 10001 things going on.

It was excellent. It has a lot of emotion, anger and humanity. What surprised me was his naeivity (initially) in fact even with things falling down around him there was still the possibly, the disbelief that it could happen - so that means there is another reason.

I felt anger and sorrow with the occasional laugh. For me, what came across was that it was a release of demons within Robb but this is only part of the book and does not overwhelm it, more ripple along like a sub-tune within the overall story. Not mentioned but felt.

I would recommend it as a good read, when you can sit and immerse yourself in a book, it can cause raw emotion then it is well worth reading."

CL United Kingdom~Without Honour|8843|~4678~11531~Zimbabwe Fifth Brigade, Zimbabwe Republic Police, ZANU PF, gukurahundi~
Zimbabwe: The Rise To Nationhood - Jacob Chikuhwa~Before emerging ex statu pupillari as Zimbabwe, the former Southern Rhodesia underwent many changes. These included a dramatic declaration of independence in the Sixties by the minority government; a fierce ‘Chlimurenga’ or war of liberation; a flirtation with socialism; and a final emergence as the republic we know today. From prc-history to the present day Zimbabwe - The Rise To Nationhood presents a clear and comprehensive study of a nation in transition.As an economist, the author is able to highlight the uses – and abuses – of his country's human and natural resources, both before and after independence. With the help of his own illustrations, maps and a full glossary and index, Jacob Chikuhwa paints a picture of a country more at ease with itself and its neighbours than before, but still suffering the effects of cyclical trade and weather conditions.This book will be of enormous value to students of economics, history and culture, and to anyone interested in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa.
ISBN-13 9781425948658, 2007. Paperback~Authorhouse, 2007
ISBN-13 9781425948658
Paperback


Review
By Amina Hug - Her Excellency, The Ambassador To Scandinavia,Embassy Of The Republic Of Zimbabwe, Stockholm.

Scientific management of both human and natural resources has become a must for survival in our dynamic, ever-changing, free enterprise economy. Underlying sound scientific management are facts and figures on every facet of our economic, business, social, political and governmental life. The collection and use of these facts require an understanding of economic and statistical principles and methods.

I am delighted to read that the author has written from the point of view of an economist for the use of those concerned with development, whether at a purely national level or in connection with any of the aid programmes of the international agencies. He sets out to explore briefly some of the historical facts which have been covered in the past but considered valid and useful in the context of development activities. Particular emphasis is placed on politico-economic systems which are currently subject to heavy development pressure. By way of economic and statistical analysis, he highlights various problems associated with Zimbabwe's natural resources, livestock and agricultural projects, industrial development and human resources; and the rather specialised cases of culture and religion, music and fine arts also receive attention.

Governments, research institutions, aid agencies and other organisations collect an increasing volume of numerical information to understand and to govern the increasingly complex system that makes up a national economy. Our knowledge of the mechanics of the information flows and the decision system of government departments and large business firms is very scant, and our ability to assess the character and quality of information we collect is quite haphazard. I believe the author has made a commendable socio-economic analysis. To analyse such facts means bringing together the data which we have learnt and discovering the reasons why things so often turn out differently from what was intended.

He has not attempted to make a comprehensive treatment of the socio-economic systems covered; to do so would have required several more volumes, even if in some cases relevant studies have already been published. Similarly, no complete case histories are included, but several are summarized and reference is made in the bibliography to sources of relevant case material.

This practical and interesting book should be able to aid persons in all activities requiring the use and understanding of the political economy of Zimbabwe. Hopefully, through this and future studies, a truly interdisciplinary approach to national development can be achieved that will permit Zimbabweans to reach the high quality of life to which all people aspire.


About the Author

Jacob Wilson Chikuhwa was born on September 24, 1940 just one year after the outbreak of the Second World War. He was born in a village called Samaringa in the Honde Valley, in Zimbabwe's Eastern Highlands. He was brought up in a Christian environment, his father (c. 1879-March 3, 1972) having been an Anglican mission-school teacher for almost twenty-four years. Although his mother (c. 1901-Aug. 5, 1991), like his father, was from a typical traditional family, she was a devout believer in Christianity. Being one of twin brothers, Jacob almost became a victim of Shona religious belief. In those days, it was considered taboo to give birth to twins. According to tradition, the younger twin was to be got rid of without delay.

Because of his parent's Christian belief, Jacob survived to go on to study at Hartzell Secondary School, Old Mutare. After obtaining the Cambridge School Certificate, he briefly worked as a school teacher in 1963 at Chigudu Primary School in Headlands near Rusape. In 1964, he was employed as a postmaster trainee in Harare, but in September of the same year, he was detained at Wha Wha Detention Camp near Gweru until he was released in March 1965.

He briefly worked as a bookkeeper in Bulawayo while playing soccer for Eastlands FC before going into exile in Zambia in 1966. In 1967, he went to the former Soviet Union where he studied economics at the Kiev Institute of National Economy in Ukraine. Having specialised in Finance and Banking, he was awarded an M.Sc.(Econ.) degree in 1972.

At the end of that year, he went to Stockholm, Sweden where he did post-graduate studies in Economic Integration and International Relations. Between 1974 and 1976, he was ZANU's Chief Publicity Officer responsible for the Nordic countries, Austria and West Germany. After the assassination of Herbert Chitepo and the subsequent arrest of most of the members of Dare reCimurenga in Zambia, the ZANU office in Stockholm could not sustain itself. Therefore, in September 1976, Jacob got a job in the economic department of the Post Office Industries where he was employed until January 1981 before he returned to Zimbabwe.

In May 1981, he was employed by the Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (PTC) as manager of the newly created Economics and Statistics Branch. In July 1986, he joined the Zimbabwe Football Association as Director of Administration: Finance and Personnel. After a brief but turbulent period at ZIFA House, Jacob Chikuhwa left at the end of the 1987 soccer season and joined the Harare Polytechnic as a lecturer in both the Bachelor of Technology Programme and the National Diploma course.

In October 1989 he left for Sweden where he eventually joined the Economic Department of the Post Office Administrative Service. Married with two children, Chikuhwa is currently an economic analyst with the Post Office Internal Audit.~Zimbabwe|ISBN-13 9781425948658|~4678~11547~~
Zimbabwe At The Crossroads - Jacob Wilson Chikuhwa~The theme of Zimbabwe at the Crossroads is on issues of governance and economic management. The story being told is how a prosperous country at independence in 1980 has virtually turned from a bread basket to a begging bowl. After the success with A Crisis of Governance: Zimbabwe, Dr Jacob Chikuhwa continues the tragic analysis of the Zimbabwean economy. An analysis set against a backdrop of growing poverty in a country with abundant human and natural resources, this book weaves together a cast of socio-economic factors that form the causes of the economic quagmire. This academic exposé brings to the fore the desperate hope for democracy and economic recovery in Zimbabwe. International donor agencies and institutions specialising in African development studies will be delighted with Jacob Chikuhwa’s latest instalment whose driving force is the statistical analysis of events in the southern African country.

ISBN-13 9781425919573, Paperback. ISBN-13 9781425919580, Hardback~Authorhouse, 2007
ISBN-13 9781425919573, Paperback.
ISBN-13 9781425919580, Hardback




About the Author

After having been detained by the white minority Rhodesian Front regime between 1964 and 1965, Jacob Chikuhwa escaped into Zambia in 1966 from where he secured an Afro-Asian scholarship to study in the former Soviet Union. In 1972 upon completion of his studies, Chikuhwa moved to Sweden.

Dr Jacob Chikuhwa holds degrees in economics and international relations from the Kiev Institute of National Economy in the Ukraine and the University of Stockholm in Sweden. A Zimbabwean national, Chikuhwa has lectured on economics, finance, and administration both in Zimbabwe and Sweden. In April 2005, he lectured at The New School Graduate Program in International Affairs, New School University, in New York.

After having worked as an economist and administrator in the public and private sectors for over 30 years, Chikuhwa has turned to writing full-time. He is currently working on a book titled Zimbabwe: Beyond a School Certificate and Venturing into the Unknown (Kumaziwandadzoka), a film on HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. Besides A Crisis of Governance: Zimbabwe, Chikuhwa has written Zimbabwe: The Rise to Nationhood and A Cheer for Sanity. Chikuhwa has three further titles pending publication: A Thought for the Day, The Pendulum and A Collection of Shona Proverbs and Parables.~Zimbabwe At The Crossroads|ISBN-13 9781425919573|Zimbabwe At The Crossroads|ISBN-13 9781425919580|~4678~11551~~
Special Offers~~~~4678~11665~~
Special collection discount: African Tears / Beyond Tears set~Order Catherine Buckle's 'African Tears: The Zimbabwe Land Invasions' together with 'Beyond Tears: Zimbabwe's Tragedy', and get 10% discount off. Plus a further 5% discount if you order more than one set.~~Africa Tears (Disc. price)|ISBN 1868421406set|Beyond Tears (Disc. price)|ISBN 1868421392set|~4678~11666~war vets~
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