NO SAFER KINDER HATRED: Frank Thabani Sayi’s Memoir Launch

Join us for a powerful evening of storytelling, reflection, and meaningful conversation in celebration of Black History Month, as Frank Sayi shares his extraordinary journey through Zimbabwe’s turbulent history and the enduring resilience of the human spirit.

A moving and intricately woven memoir about growing up in colonial Rhodesia during the 1970s under white minority rule, and the harsh realities of a war-torn childhood.

Frank Sayi’s childhood spanned two pivotal and turbulent periods in Zimbabwe’s history: the war of liberation (1975–1979) and the post-independence internecine war (1981–1987). Raised in a native reserve governed by Ian Smith’s racist regime, Frank experienced firsthand the repression and containment that defined these areas.

No Safer Kinder Hatred reveals the extraordinary capacity for violence, but also compassion, endurance, and survival. It brings together narratives from two wars and offers a deeply personal lens on the psychological impact of political violence in Zimbabwe. Moving beyond standard historical accounts, Frank explores the lasting effects of colonialism and civil war on ordinary lives.

Filled with poignant, hilarious, and beautiful stories, this memoir tells of a childhood shaped by conflict, and the journey of a man determined to leave violence behind.

Frank Thabani Sayi was born in Zimbabwe in the late 1960s, witnessing both the war of independence and the Gukurahundi massacres of the early 1980s. He moved to England on a scholarship and has had a varied career - from nursing in specialised medical fields to 25 years as a police officer tackling complex social issues. Frank holds a Doctorate in English and Humanities and a Master’s in Cultural and Critical Studies from Birkbeck, University of London. He is also an associate editor for the Brief Encounters Journal at SOAS.