BULAWAYO-BASED author Tatenda Unika Kombora (24) has penned a book titled, I Loved a Dictator, which sheds light on the dark underbelly of Zimbabwe's political system, laying bare the devastating consequences of poverty, governance failures and systemic injustices.
Written last year and currently being publicised, the book looks at the political system in Zimbabwe, reflecting on poverty, governance, the education and the condition of women in the society and political system.
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Kombora said ther work is a reflection on the state of education, the informal sector and the role of women and the opposition in Zimbabwe's political landscape.
Through a searing examination of the country's education sector and the plight of women, Kombora's work offers a stark reflection of a nation's struggle for freedom and equality.
“I Loved a Dictator is a book based on the political system under Robert Mugabe. The story is told through the eyes of a little girl, influenced by the fourth estate and family and how these are ultimately influenced by the State,” she said.
“The inspiration of the book came as a reaction to a news report by foreign media houses. They were ignorantly speaking of the absence of some political consciousness in Zimbabwe that has seen conditions of Zimbabweans remain the same over decades.
“I wondered if they understood the dynamics of a dictatorship. How it worked and how it kept itself in power. It was originally meant to be an article.”
She added the book written in the run-up to the 2023 elections touches on the question of elections and the quality of the opposition.
Kombora said her book has a prison setting which is symbolic and through the characters she reflects on the freedom in Zimbabwe, post independence realities and the role of opposition in Zimbabwe's politics.
Kombora is a writer, producer and development practitioner. She has partnered with the Centre for Innovation and Technology to produce a political show titled, On Her Throne, which looks at the role of female politicians.
I Loved a Dictator is her maidenbook. She has contributed opinion pieces in newspapers, blogs, magazines and newsletters.