Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
With Zimbabwe fresh from commemorating Heroes Day and Defence Forces Day on August 10 and 11, the preservation of the nation’s history is increasingly extending beyond monuments and shrines to the pages of books that carry its stories from one generation to the next.
For the past 15 years, former Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Assistant Inspector Daimon Phiri has dedicated much of his professional life to preserving Zimbabwe’s linguistic and historical heritage, using his police salary to edit, typeset and publish more than 300 original books in Shona and Ndebele through his publishing company, Tepp Publishers.
At a time when the Government has championed a Heritage-Based Curriculum (HBC) aimed at rooting education in Zimbabwe’s history, culture and identity, Phiri has sought to provide the literature to support that vision. His mission has come at considerable personal cost. Without funding, the 52-year-old former ZRP Press and Public
Relations officer has single-handedly financed one of Zimbabwe’s largest indigenous-language publishing catalogues.
Today, however, he warns that the future of that work hangs in the balance.
“The crisis is simple: publish or perish. If Tepp Publishers closes, all these books disappear from circulation forever.
A language without new books is a museum language. If children only read foreign books and never read their own history in Shona and Ndebele, that is cultural suicide,” said Phiri.
His concern reflects the realities confronting Zimbabwe’s publishing sector. The closure of the Literature Bureau,
once instrumental in nurturing indigenous language literature, coupled with widespread book piracy and shrinking commercial markets, has made publishing in local languages increasingly difficult. Yet despite those challenges,
Phiri’s publishing company has continued to produce books documenting Zimbabwe’s history, liberation struggle, economy, traditional leadership, literature and national development.
For Phiri, publishing is less about commerce than about cultural survival.
“I’m a guard. My job is to document our journey as a nation so that future generations know where we came from and who built this country. As a former ZRP Press and Public Relations personnel for 15 years, I understand that
documentation protects truth,” he continued.
That philosophy has shaped a publishing catalogue featuring works by authors including Hon Cain Mathema and historian Edwin Muketiwa Msipa, alongside numerous novels and historical publications written in Zimbabwe’s indigenous languages.
Remarkably, the significance of that work has attracted attention far beyond Zimbabwe. The United States Library of Congress in Washington, DC purchases 12 copies of every Tepp publication exceeding 100 pages, ensuring the books become part of one of the world’s largest archival collections.
Phiri however said his greatest endorsement came not from an international institution, but from a young reader in
Plumtree. After reading Edhibeni, written by Bernard Dima Ndlovu and published by Tepp, a Grade Seven learner reportedly approached him in tears.
“Sir, I didn’t know Ndebele kings were so brave. Thank you for printing this.”
For Phiri, moments like these affirm the importance of ensuring Zimbabwean children encounter their own stories through their own languages.
Recognising that mainstream distribution networks rarely prioritise indigenous language books, Phiri has adopted unconventional methods to reach readers.
Using vehicles from his driving school, another of his business ventures, he personally delivers books to schools in Inyathi, Zvishavane, Plumtree and other rural communities often overlooked by commercial bookshops.
It is an approach driven by conviction rather than profitability. Phiri’s latest publishing project continues that commitment to documenti Zimbabwe’s national story.
Edited by Phiri and authored by historian and researcher Edwin Muketiwa Msipa, “Emmerson Mnangagwa: The
People’s Leader – A Journey of Vision, Leadership, and Legacy” chronicles President Mnangagwa’s leadership journey and the implementation of Vision 2030 under the Second Republic. The publication examines major infrastructure and development initiatives undertaken since President Mnangagwa assumed office, including the expansion of Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, the Gwayi-Shangani Dam project, the Beitbridge-Harare
Highway modernisation programme, Hwange Units 7 and 8, Pfumvudza agricultural programmes, rural infrastructure development through devolution and the country’s re-engagement efforts under the, “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” policy.
According to the publishers, the book seeks to preserve a documented account of contemporary national development for future generations of students, researchers and policymakers.
“Leaders who build nations deserve books that record their work. This is not politics. This is history.”
Phiri believes every generation has a responsibility to record its own experiences rather than leaving future historians with fragmented memories.
“President Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 projects must be written down so future generations know who built the dams, roads and airports they will use tomorrow.”
The publication adopts the national philosophy, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanini balo” as a central theme, presenting it as a framework for understanding the country’s development agenda and encouraging national participation in development.
The timing of the book’s release carries additional symbolism. When Zimbabwe celebrates Heroes and Defence Forces holidays, public attention traditionally turns towards the country’s liberation history, nation-building efforts and the individuals whose contributions have shaped the country’s trajectory.
For Phiri, books serve as enduring companions to those commemorations, preserving stories that might otherwise fade with time. He argues that national memory should encompass not only liberation history, but also subsequent chapters of Zimbabwe’s development, ensuring future generations can trace the country’s evolution through documented records.
The publication also joins an existing body of literature examining President Mnangagwa’s life and leadership. Among the notable earlier works is Eddie Graham Cross’ authorised biography published in 2021, which explored
Mnangagwa’s life from childhood to the presidency. That publication generated extensive academic and political discussion, with scholars and commentators debating aspects of its interpretation of Zimbabwe’s political and liberation history while also acknowledging some of its contributions to historical discourse.
Against that backdrop, Phiri says the publication focuses primarily on documenting development initiatives undertaken during the Second Republic as part of the country’s evolving historical record.
Ultimately, however, preserving Zimbabwe’s documentary heritage requires more than producing books. It requires
ensuring they continue to be printed, distributed and read. That is why Phiri is now appealing to Zimbabweans at home and abroad, corporate organisations and philanthropists to help sustain indigenous language publishing. He is seeking US$5 000 to print five new Shona and Ndebele novels that would benefit approximately 10 000 learners this year.
“I need US$5 000 to print five new Shona and Ndebele novels for 10 000 students this year. Five dollars buys 10 books for children. I cannot carry this burden alone for another 15 years.”
His appeal is ultimately about more than financial assistance. It is a call to recognise books as repositories of language, identity and national memory.
As Zimbabwe reflects on its past, Phiri hopes the nation will also consider the importance of preserving today’s
stories for tomorrow’s readers. Because, in his view, monuments commemorate history, but books ensure that history continues to speak. – Follow on X @MbuleloMpofu
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