A few weeks ago the Caine Prize hosted one of its annual workshops in Zimbabwe with some of the leading African writers in attendance. They included South African 2008 winner Henrietta Rose-Innes and a host of short-listed ones like Lawrence Hoba, Abubakar Ibrahim (2013) Elnathan John (2013), and Chinelo Okparanta (2013). Rounding off the participants were novelist Nii Parkes, Abdul Adan Martin Egblewogbe, Clifton Gachagua, Barbara Mhangami-Ruwende, Bella Matambanadzi, Philani Amadeus Nyoni, Bryony Rheam, and Gertrude Zhuwao.
The participants went to various locations in the landlocked Southern African country including Vumba for a writer’s retreat where they did what writers do (drink I assume). After this, they went to do book tours where they visited schools like Hartzell School in Mutare and St Werburgh School in Bvumba. It’s always good to get the next generation of readers on your side you know.
The highlight of the whole thing was a visit to the Harare City library where there was a panel discussion with Kenyan Clifton Gachagua, Ghanaian Nii Parkes, Zimbabwean Barbara Mhangami-Ruwende. and Naija’s Elnathan John.
Here are some images from the event from one of our favourite Zimbabwean commentators Fungai Machirori.
Leave a Reply