Description
In Memoirs of a Muhindi, Mansoor Ladha bears witness to what happens when nations turn against entire religious and ethnic groups.
When Ugandan president Idi Amin expelled Africans of Indian descent from the country in 1972, he unleashed an intolerance that set off an exodus from the entire region. In Tanzania and Kenya, businesses were nationalized, properties taken, people harassed, and livelihoods upended.
Mansoor Ladha, who was living in Nairobi at the time, had to decide whether to stay or go. Canada became his new home--where he found considerable success, as did the rest of the Ismaili community--while East Africa's fit of bigotry only left it behind.
Reviews
"Journalist and author Ladha traces the twisting path of his life, from his childhood years in Zanzibar, a semiautonomous part of Tanzania, to his employment in Kenya, exile in England, and immigration to Canada... This honest memoir will interest all readers, allowing them to understand the international effects of government policies that exclude refugees, along with the societal efforts that help them enter and adopt a new country as their own." - Library Journal
"Helps people deal with the issues that immigrants encounter." - Asian Pacific Post
"Asks important questions about nationality and belonging." - Quill and Quire
"Ladha's journey mirrors those of many immigrants who want a place to call home." - Winnipeg Free Press