Zukiswa Wanner was announced as the new Artist-in-Residence at the Moi University African Cluster Centre in Eldoret, Kenya from September – December 2022 on August 28, 2022.
Germany’s Bayreuth University appointed Moi University to its African Cluster Centre program in African studies in 2019. Bayreuth sees a cluster as a transformative space to systematically advance the study of African and African diasporic ways of life and world-making. Other institutions in the program are Université Ouaga I Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso), the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies at the University of Lagos (Nigeria), and Rhodes University (Grahamstown, South Africa). The first artist-in resident for this program in Kenya was Cherrie Kandie who took up the role in 2021.
The centre will welcome its newest artist-in-resident, award-winning writer and publisher Zukiswa Wanner, in September. Zukiswa Wanner is a South African writer, editor, and publisher born in Zambia, raised in Zimbabwe, and currently based in Kenya who has written novels, children’s books, as well as nonfiction titles. She has won several awards including the K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award for London Cape Town Joburg (2014) and the Goethe Medal (2020), the first African woman to receive the honour. During the residency, Wanner will mentor emerging writers and organize writing workshops and seminars. She will also be working on her latest novel.
Speaking exclusively to JamesMurua.com, Moi University Dean of the School of Arts & Social Sciences Prof Simatei Tirop said, “We are excited to announce Zukiswa Wanner as our Artist-in-residence for 2022. Wanner is one of the most well-respected names in African writing with numerous books and awards to her name including at the South Africa Literary Awards as well as being the first African woman to win the prestigious Goethe medal. She dazzled university guests as a keynote speaker at our conference last year and it is our pleasure to have her as our artist for 2022. She will bring much-needed enthusiasm to our programs this year.”
Zukiswa Wanne on being announced the new artist-in-resident said from Germany, “I’m honoured to have received this residency as this will allow for some much-needed writing time. What makes this sweeter is that I received the residency from one of my favourite academic institutions in a town that’s close to my heart.”
Also taking part in the program from the University of Lagos African Cluster Centre will be Patrick Oloko (Associate Professor, Literature and Cultural Studies) and Dr. Abisoye Eleshin (African languages, Linguistics and Culture).
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