Video: Zimbabwean author, aged 64, survives by begging on UK streets
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Video: Zimbabwean author, aged 64, survives by begging on UK streets

Author Michael Donaldson Mhike

Author Michael Donaldson Mhike

ZIMBABWEAN national Michael Donaldson Mhike is surviving by begging on the streets of Glasgow, Scotland, in scenes reminiscent of legendary the late Dambudzo Marechera who, hustled for survival on London streets while churning out bestsellers.

The 64-year-old is an author and has books on Amazon, according to what he told some people on the street who recorded him narrating his life’s tribulations.

The grandfather says he left Zimbabwe for Scotland in 2004, but somehow things later on went bad. He started begging in 2016. It seems his books haven’t been giving him a decent livelihood, but a quick check on Amazon showed that he has a book titled: “My life in Africa: Running out of Gold”.

The book is only 42 pages long and was published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing in 2017. It goes for just over £6 on some sites.

According to the description on Amazon, the book is about the story of Mana, who left Africa and went abroad and got sanctuary at some stage. Life style looked astronomically different that it took him time to adjust to the new society.

His second book also available on Amazon is curiously titled “Walking into a pub in Glasgow: You might not be interested”.

A Zimbabwean based in Galsgow told the Zimbabwe Voice that Mhike is a loner and appears troubled for most of his daily life.

Michael Donaldson Mhike

“I cannot claim to be close to him, but I know someone who talks occasionally to this old man. I’m told he is from Sanyati in Mashonaland West, but since leaving Zimbabwe to come here, he hasn’t gone back home,” said a source, preferring not to be named.

However, in the video footage we share below which was shot from the streets of Glasgow, Mhike says he is not allowed to work by, U.K. laws, hence he survives on begging. He also highlights that he takes care of “ALL the widows” in Africa, meaning his late brother’s wives back home in Zimbabwe.

It was not immediately clear what profession Mhike was in before his life took a knock in the U.K..– Zimbabwe Voice

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