The book, which was written under MISA-Zimbabwe’s Journalist-in-Residence project, captures the escapades and experiences of the veteran journalist in a career spanning more than 50 years, dating back to 1957.
 
Veteran journalist Bornwell Chakaodza, who edited and proofread the book, said it was one of the most provocative and potentially important books on journalism to appear in this part of the world. After reading this book, it is hard not to feel hopeful about the power and ability that each individual journalist has to make an imprint.
 
“Sometimes funny, at times serious, his descriptions of people and events can be completely hilarious. Bright and fascinating, Bill parades some of the figures he reported on entertainingly and with a spice of mischief! You could hear the crushing of egos!
 
“This book written by Bill is the work of a newspaperman, not a university scholar – simply and beautifully written, the power of words, the sheer vigour and expressiveness of writing, is out of this world!”
 
Chakaodza lamented the reluctance by Zimbabwean journalists to write their own memoirs despite spending time reporting on other people including politicians who then go on to write their own experiences based on the work of journalists.
 
“We (journalists) must appreciate the fact that things exist in their own time. We need to write our own experiences and from our own perspectives rather than letting other people do these things for us.” he said.

MISA-Zimbabwe Chairperson Loughty Dube concurred with Chakaodza noting that the country’s contemporary history- from a journalistic perspective- has over the years been written and projected through the pens and lens of foreign journalists that have lived and worked in Zimbabwe.
 
“We as Zimbabweans and more so as journalists, should be the chroniclers and writers of own history. We should therefore take the lead and be the reference and entry points for historians,” said Dube.
 
He said it was against the background of the existence of the knowledge gap within the media and the public at large that MISA-Zimbabwe decided on the Journalist-in-Residence project as part of efforts to encourage journalists to write their own memoirs.
 
“The narratives of the experiences of journalists remain imperative to foster media freedom that is cognisant of both history and its impact on the present and future,” said Dube.  
 
The Journalist-in-Residence project is designed to among other considerations, encourage senior Zimbabwean journalists to share their experiences with fellow professionals and members of the public through the writing of memoirs, blog posts and lectures as well as mentoring upcoming journalists.
 
The first phase of the programme was launched last year and drew on the expertise and experiences of Bill Saidi as the inaugural MISA-Zimbabwe Journalist-in-Residence Fellow.  During his fellowship stint, Saidi conducted journalism lectures throughout the country and also found time to write his memoirs culminating in tonight’s launch ceremony.
 
The second phase of the project is already underway following the engagement of veteran journalist Grace Mutandwa to follow in Bill’s footsteps.
 
(See Bill Saidi’s blogspot at www.billsaidimemoirs.blogspot.com)
 
//End


Reagan Malumo
Programme Specialist: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat
21 Johann Albrecht St
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek
Namibia
Phone: +264 61 232 975
Fax: +264 61 248 016
Mobile: +264 81 311 2626
Official Email: reagan(@)misa.org
Private Email: reagan32002(@)yahoo.com

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