At the deep end (ePub)

As a founding member and leader of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, Morgan Tsvangirai came to prominence as a political force in the late 1990s. Over the next ten years he would be harassed, tortured, charged with treason and labelled a traitor, but he would also come to be globally regarded as a courageous and indefatigable symbol of resistance in the face of brutal repression. From teenage mine worker to trade union leader to Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in a coalition government, this autobiography traces Tsvangirai’s political development and activism, laying bare the challenges and frustrations of his political life, up to and including the power-sharing agreements with President Robert Mugabe. Morgan Tsvangirai: In at the Deep End is the story of a man who through everything he has endured has remained committed to working for peace and democracy for all in his country, and in the process become a beacon of hope for a beleaguered nation. Written in collaboration with his spokesperson, veteran journalist and editor T. William Bango, this book contains rich documentation of both its subject’s political career and of the changing socio-historical context of Zimbabwe. As his personal assistant, advisor and spokesperson, T William Bango has shared a lot with Morgan Tsvangirai over the last seven years - not least the infamous 2007 beatings that nearly cost them both their lives at the hands of Mugabe’s Zanu militia. Prior to this, Bango spent 23 years in journalism. He also founded the banned Daily News, gained a Master’s degree in journalism, and lectured on the subject. He has recently completed an MPA from Harvard University in the USA.