Mahmood Mamdani launched his latest book, Slow Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni, and the Making of the Ugandan State, in Nairobi on January 23 and 24, 2026.
The work challenges the simplistic narrative that Uganda’s troubles began solely with Idi Amin. Drawing on five decades of archival research, courtroom testimony, and firsthand interviews, Mamdani argues that the nation’s conflicts stem from a persistent colonial legacy. He traces how culture was deliberately transformed into tribe, tribe into territory, and territory into a political weapon—a “slow poison” refined by every post-independence leader
The Nairobi events were the second stop on the book’s East African tour, following a launch in Mombasa on January 9. Organized by Cheche Books and Jahazi Press (which holds the East African rights), the Nairobi gatherings were hosted at the 800-seat Jain Bhavan Auditorium in Loresho.
The discussions were expertly moderated by Parsalelo Kantai on Friday and Mshai Mwangola on Saturday. Both sessions were filled, with Nairobi residents turning out to engage with one of East Africa’s most prominent public intellectuals.
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