President Mnangagwa, together with First Lady Amai Mnangagwa flanked by the editors of the book, researchers and academics during the launch at the Heritage Village in Harare recently
By Dickson Bandera
President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa yesterday officially launched a new book titled “Standing Against Illegal Sanctions: Resistance, Policy Innovations and Advocacy” during the 2025 SADC Anti-Sanctions Day commemorations held in Harare, calling on Zimbabweans and Africans to take charge of telling and preserving their own stories.
The publication, produced under the Institute of Strategic and National Knowledge for Transformation (INSTAK), documents Zimbabwe’s resilience, policy innovations, and advocacy efforts against sanctions imposed by some Western countries. It features contributions from academics, researchers, and creatives, including editors Professor Paul Mapfumo, Mr. Richard Mahomva, and Mr. Tawanda Zinyama.
President Mnangagwa described the book as a significant record of Zimbabwe’s struggle and triumphs under sanctions, commending contributors for their commitment to advancing the country’s intellectual heritage.
“This book is indeed a record of our struggle and a source of inspiration for both current and future generations,” he said. “Never take this responsibility lightly; serve in this field through authorship that is factual, broad and undefiled. Always look to advance nation building, unity, development and a positive image of our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe.”
The President emphasised the importance of documenting national experiences from an African perspective, saying Zimbabwe must own its narrative and celebrate its achievements without external interpretation.
“Under the Second Republic, we are committed to tell our story from our own Zimbabwean and African perspective, anchored on our rich liberation history and heritage as well as experiences in the post-independence era,” he added.
President Mnangagwa also hailed INSTAK for its role in promoting Zimbabwean scholarship and for contributing to the preservation of national memory through research and publication.
The book, “Standing Against Illegal Sanctions: Resistance, Policy Innovations and Advocacy,” captures the government’s strategies to mitigate the impact of sanctions while promoting economic self-reliance through innovation, industrialisation, and heritage-based development.
President Mnangagwa further called on writers, academics, and media practitioners to use their pens to build the nation’s body of knowledge and to project Africa’s voice globally.
“We must ensure that our stories are told by us, about us, and for us,” he said. “Authorship is not just about recording history; it is about shaping the consciousness and destiny of our people.”
The President reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s call for the total and unconditional removal of sanctions, noting that the country’s continued resilience demonstrated its ability to thrive under pressure.
The launch coincided with the 2025 SADC Anti-Sanctions Day, held under the theme “Inclusive Development through Heritage-Based Innovation and Industrialisation in a Multilateral World.”
The event, attended by senior government officials, diplomats, academics, and cultural figures, underscored the growing recognition of knowledge creation and documentation as tools of resistance and empowerment in Zimbabwe’s development journey.
