“Kenya is a very conservative society,” Professor Dan Ojwang, Head of the School of Language, Literature and Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, told the Mail & Guardian. “It was a very brave thing to do in a context where homophobia is a real issue, and in the wake of his coming out, there would have been others who would have had courage to do the same.”
The same year, he was included in Time’s list of Most Influential People in the World. In 2016, he announced via Twitter that he was HIV-positive. Ojwang, who is Kenyan by birth, says that Wainaina was a key figure in bringing “new energy” to a literary context which was very muted because of the Moi dictatorship that Kenya was under from 1978 to 2002.
“His contribution could be said to be organisational because he managed to bring together a large number of young writers across East Africa, and mobilised young people to be interested in the creative arts,” says Ojwang. “He constantly drew on his experiences in South Africa, where he studied at the University of Transkei . This gave him a sense of himself as a pan-Africanist.”
“He was capacious in terms of what creativity entailed, and forced a space. As a magazine, Kwani dissolved the distinction between high and low culture. The literary arts in East Africa needed that injection of new ideas.”Aaisha Dadi Patel cut her teeth at The Daily Vox in 2014, and now works in a freelance capacity. She's written about everything from politics to polar bears, with particular interests in gender and Islam.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »
Internet star Grumpy Cat dies at age 7Internet star 'Grumpy Cat' has died at the age of seven, her owners said early Friday. When is the tebello?
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »
Source: ewnupdates - 🏆 30. / 53 Read more »
From 21 to 90 - Age ain't nothing but a number in parliamentBetween the two extremes, stands two men from different parts of KZN - the oldest MP being 90-year-old IFP leader Mongosuthu Buthelezi and the youngest Sibongiseni Ngcobo, 23, of the DA | kgmadisa kgmadisa Buthelezi wants to die in Parliament. kgmadisa This is were the problem lies old man suppose to be on pension but hell on he is blocking the traffic.parly must have age limit period kgmadisa This photo is 5years old,he has cut his hair now.
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »
ANDILE KHUMALO: Digging in your heels is not advisable in age of social media'The third and final point that Discovery may want to think hard about is the power of the media, especially social media,' writes Andile Khumalo.
Source: SundayTimesZA - 🏆 47. / 51 Read more »
IN PICTURES | Fredie, 115, and Norah, 109, make it a party for the agesFredie Blom turned 115 on election day last week, and Norah de Kok of Kuils River turned 109 on May 12.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »
West Rand councillor dies of his injuries after petrol bomb attackThe police on Thursday confirmed that Festus 'Mchini' Matshogo - the councillor from Mohlakeng in the West Rand who suffered third-degree burns when his home was petrol-bombed earlier this week - has died.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »
Source: eNCA - 🏆 49. / 51 Read more »
Six die, 200 injured as Indonesia plunges into post-election unrestDemonstrations over the outcome of last month's presidential election gripped the heart of Indonesia's capital on Wednesday after an overnight face-off between police and protesters in which Jakarta's governor said six people were killed.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »