Report & Essay
True Imaginary Homelands: Billy Kahora on publishing Eva Kasaya
Billy Kahora
In 2005, Kwani? Founding Editor, Binyavanga Wainaina, received two green Karatasi Exercise books from Annette Majanja, then the communications officer. A young woman working as a domestic servant for one of Annette's relatives had pushed them into her hands during a visit. Luckily, it was...
Kwani? 06 Editorial
Billy Kahora
In mid-2009, I requested several conversations and meetings with people who matter in the shaping of literary and creative matters at Kwani?. I wanted their support in the shaping of the new issue of Kwani?, a 'fiction' issue ala Kwani? 01 and 02. The last 3 issues have carried a disproportionate...
Special Edition Editorial: After The Vote
Billy Kahora
A writer friend of mine excitedly called me during the first week of 2008 and declared: 'this is the time of the Kenyan writer. We can now move beyond 'pretty' stories about our relationships with our mothers, and write about "real" things.' When I asked what he meant by the 'real', a silence came...
Generation Disaster
Martin Kimani
The next revolution in Kenya will not be a violent one, contrary to the bloodletting presently underway. Rather it will be the rejection of the generation of men from whom the leaders of this country have been drawn.
No Laughing Matter
Judy Kibinge
Once upon a time three university pals, in their early twenties formed a comedic trio at the height of President Daniel arap Moi's dictatorial reign. Moi ruled supreme to the extent that to imagine his death was declared a crime punishable by the death.Political enemies disappeared, or were...
Zimbabwe Votes – An Interview With Zenzele Ndebele
Kwani
(Zenzele Ndebele is a Zimbabwean journalist, managing editor of zimpatriot.com, and the creator of Gukurahundi: A Moment of Madness, a documentary about Robert Mugabe's military campaign against the Ndebele people of southern Zimbabwe. Zenzele snuck across the border to debut his film in...