Citizen of Zimbabwe: Conversations with Morgan TsvangiraiMorgan Tsvangiraiís appointment as Zimbabweís Prime Minister in 2009 followed many yearsí leadership of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trades Unions and the Movement for Democratic Change. How has that experience equipped him for high national office? Does he have the personal, intellectual and political qualities required to be President? In July 2004, as he was awaiting the verdict in his treason trial, Tsvangirai spent several days in conversation with Stephen Chan. Chan was concerned to find out if Tsvangirai was more than ëmerely a charismatic leader of the oppositioní; if he had ëhis own intellectual agenda [and] political philosophyí. His questions were even-handed and astute. ëDiscussion by discussion, Morgan Tsvangirai had become more open, more human ñ less cautious and, paradoxically, more obviously and naturally presidential.í Five years later, having reviewed the events since their discussions took place, Chan writes: ëI have not made a saint of him, not even an Atlas. I hope I have not criticized him too much or too unfairly. Probably no one could have done for Zimbabwe what he has.í Citizen of Zimbabwe is a rare and intimate portrait of political leadership in Africa. |
From inside the book
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Page 2
... organised well in its urban heartlands, but had no real rural infrastructure – and neither its trade unionists nor its intellectuals had any sustained sense of rural policy. ZANU(PF), on the other hand, had built a formidable party ...
... organised well in its urban heartlands, but had no real rural infrastructure – and neither its trade unionists nor its intellectuals had any sustained sense of rural policy. ZANU(PF), on the other hand, had built a formidable party ...
Page 10
... organisation required and the pride secured in struggle have meant, at the very least, that someone like Morgan ... organised labour. Labour and nationalist leaders were themselves not often given to free and democratic expression by ...
... organisation required and the pride secured in struggle have meant, at the very least, that someone like Morgan ... organised labour. Labour and nationalist leaders were themselves not often given to free and democratic expression by ...
Page 11
... organised', and its 'ability to learn was so poor' that its effect was, if not marginal, able to be marginalised.8 What Tsvangirai did with the trade union movement was, given its history and condition, nothing short of remarkable. He ...
... organised', and its 'ability to learn was so poor' that its effect was, if not marginal, able to be marginalised.8 What Tsvangirai did with the trade union movement was, given its history and condition, nothing short of remarkable. He ...
Page 12
... organise themselves better and lobby more effectively than before. Their demands received such publicity that it became impossible for Mugabe, the 'father of liberation', to ignore the liberators. Giving in to a political demand meant ...
... organise themselves better and lobby more effectively than before. Their demands received such publicity that it became impossible for Mugabe, the 'father of liberation', to ignore the liberators. Giving in to a political demand meant ...
Page 13
... Organised by the ZCTU, the grievance was now not only about fair economic benefits for workers but about the handling of the economy and, not far from explicitly, the fairness and capacity of the govern- ment itself. From 19 to 21 ...
... Organised by the ZCTU, the grievance was now not only about fair economic benefits for workers but about the handling of the economy and, not far from explicitly, the fairness and capacity of the govern- ment itself. From 19 to 21 ...
Contents
1 | |
8 | |
Inclusiveness Opposition | 21 |
The Battle for Ownership of the Mind | 31 |
Internationalism Reconciliation | 44 |
Perseverance | 52 |
Disease Conditionality | 62 |
Traditional Culture Modernity Democracy | 70 |
Healing the Future | 81 |
A Rueful Reflection | 89 |
The Twisting Turning Road Forwards | 96 |
Back Cover | 109 |
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Common terms and phrases
African Union agenda asked Tsvangirai become Bernard Chidzero Brian Raftopoulos campaign Chidzero Commonwealth conversation crisis critical culture Dambudzo Marechera define democracy democratic diplomatic dominant-party economic elections in Zimbabwe electoral ESAP going Harare HIV/AIDS House of Hunger huge Hunzvi Ibbo inclusive independence intellectual issue Jonathan Moyo labour movement land Laughs leader leadership London look Mandaza Marechera mean military minister modern Morgan Tsvangirai Mugabe's nationalist negotiate NEPAD Nkomo opposition organisation ownership pan-African parliamentary elections party peacekeeping peasants philosophy political polling President Mugabe Presidential Press problem programme question realise reform rigging Robert Mugabe rural SADC seemed sense Shivji Simba Makoni social society someone sort South Africa speech Stephen Chan talking Thabo Mbeki things thought tion trade union traditional treason trying Tsvangi University University of Zimbabwe urban violence vote workers Zambia ZANU(PF ZCTU Zimbabwe Zimbabwean