Obey Musiwa
A six-part television drama chronicling President Mnangagwa’s life, political journey and rise to the Presidency is being developed by Zimbabwean and South African film production company Black Lips Film Production.
The one-hour-per-episode drama, titled *Raising of a Giant*, will trace the President’s life from the history preceding his birth and his childhood through the liberation struggle and political career to his leadership of the Second Republic.
The production is being undertaken with the sponsorship of Prevail International Group of Companies and is expected to feature veteran artists as well as international and South African actors and directors.
Black Lips Film Production is led by Ms Sibusisiwe Busie Mzinja, who told Zimpapers yesterday that the drama was designed to tell the President’s story through the perspective of a young Zimbabwean-American woman returning home.
The central character, Jennifer Zimbabwe Parker, is a Zimbabwean African-American Harvard Economics Honours student who returns to Zimbabwe with her father while grieving the death of her Zimbabwean mother.
As part of her thesis, Parker holds a series of conversations with President Mnangagwa, through which she explores Zimbabwe’s economic challenges and his role in steering the country after the First Republic.
Her perspective provides the narrative lens through which audiences will follow the President’s journey.
“We wanted to tell this story through the eyes of a young woman who belongs to Zimbabwe but sees it from the outside,” Ms Mzinja said.
“That honest curiosity lets audiences ask the questions they themselves are asking.”
Ms Mzinja said the production was not intended to focus exclusively on the President, but also on the contribution of ordinary Zimbabweans to the country’s development.
“This is not only about one man,” she said.
“It is about every citizen playing a part, because legacy is about shaping the future.”
She said the series would begin before the President’s birth to demonstrate how historical circumstances and experiences shape leaders.
“We start before he was born because a leader is shaped by the history that came before him and audiences will see how the boy became the President,” she said.
“This is the story of a journey, from the struggle to Vision 2030, and young Zimbabweans need to see it.”
The production is expected to have an international footprint, with filming planned in countries where the President lived, studied, fought or travelled during his political journey.
Ms Mzinja said the script had been written in 11 African languages, which she said was intended to ensure that the story retained its African identity.
“Every country he visited, stayed in, fought in and learnt in, we will film there and that is how the story stays true,” she said.
“As we tell his story, we are also marketing our beloved, peaceful Zimbabwe to the world as a film destination.”
Ms Mzinja said the project was also intended to promote hope and showcase the resilience of Zimbabweans as the country works to overcome economic challenges.
She said the story would combine the President’s leadership journey with the experiences of ordinary citizens, portraying national renewal as a collective effort.
The project is being sponsored by Prevail International Group of Companies, founded by Dr Paul Tungwarara, who is Special Presidential Investment Advisor.
“We are grateful to Dr Tungwarara, he was sent by the President, and his vision is to uplift Zimbabweans, including those in the creative industry,” she said.
