Literary competetion ‘Andika na Soma’ launches its first chapbook

By +Caroline Anande Uliwa @CarolAnande-Instagram @CarolAnande-Facebook @CarolAnande-Twitter

From left Maria Makasi & Buliba Magambo next to one of
the judges of the literary competetion Laila Nanji  'Andika na Soma'
at the launch of their chapbook inside Soma Book Cafe
grounds in Dar es Salaam recently

“I have read a lot of Shaaban Robert,  also Hussein Tuwa as well this one who’s using popular language Eric Shigongo, I used to follow his novels…for instance in our school where I completed my form 4 at Chang’ombe Secondary, we had a library. It had various books, I used to take novels borrow them to go and read. For novels the likes of Eric Shigongo’s, from my pocket money I would put aside, a certain amount & another as soon as it reached 10,000TSHS. I would go ahead & buy my own copy…” Buliba Magambo

Director of SOMA learning & readership
Agency Mme Demere Kitunga, at the
launch of the chapbook giving an
 inspiring speech to the audience present 

His handshake was formal his expression serious, meeting Buliba for the first time wearing a plain cream tailored shirt and charcoal pants. It didn’t seem that he was one to launch into smiles & laughter so easily yet further into our interview his face softened, a big smile peeked through his eyes. As soon as he went on to tell his journey as a writer of fiction, which began since he was in form 1, penning stories at the back of his exercise books for his friends to read.

“You know, a writer feels deeply. Something always irked me to say something, I thought it not ok to keep it to myself. Thinking on what better way to voice my thoughts, I fell for the written word…” Buliba

Buliba Magambo is among 10 young Tanzania writers, who were shortlisted in last year’s short story competition ‘Andika na Soma’. He was in form VI at Benjamin William Mkapa Sec School, when he received the news of being selected in the top ten. Currently he is studying Mass Communications at Dar es Salaam University. ‘Andika na Soma’ calls for short story entries in Kiswahili from secondary school students all over Tanzania. Now running in its fourth year, it is organised by E&D publishers and sponsored by the Danish Embassy to Tanzania. http://www.somabookcafe.com

From left Zawadi S. Kondo-Tambaza Sec School,
Jackline Kisanga Machame Girls sec School,
'she's not featured in the book', Swedi Shaury Makongo Sec School,
 Kulwa Abdallah-Makongo Sec School, 'not featured in the book'.
Eliana Swai winner in last years 'Andika na Soma' competetion-
Kifungilo Sec School, Mariam Mwenesi-Machame Sec School,
Buliba Magambo-Benjamin Mkapa Sec School,
Asha Hassan Malolo-Zanaki Sec School, 'not featured in the book',
Anneth Mirambo-Ruvu Sec School and Maria makasi Jangwani Sec school

For the first time in its three annual rounds ‘Andika na Soma’ has published a chapbook, comprising of 10 short stories from its 7 shortlisted writers of last year’s round, as well 3 other short stories from selected contestants of the same year. The  official launch of the book took place at SOMA Book Cafe, an outlet of E&D publishers Ltd located in Regent Estate, Dar es Salaam on the 24th June. With special guest Laila Ally Nanji being present, one of the judges for this years competition who is an Asst Lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam in Kiswahili department.

“You can now call yourselves writers as you are published…it would be a shame though, if you ended on this pages. A real writer keeps writing, its like a knife if you don’t use it, it goes blunt…” Mme Demere Kitunga, Editor & Director of E&D publishers Ltd. Giving a word of encouragement to the young writers at the launch of their chapbook, detailing the processes of the birthing a book, she further congratulated them for daring to pen their stories urging them to keep doing so, for if we keep reading stories from other countries then we affirm a mediocre belief that we are not good enough or creative enough as other cultures.

“Hapaaana Emma, hapana mwanangu! Usifanye hivyo…!” Haya yalikuwa maneno ya mama huku akikimbia kutoka meza kuu kuja mahali nilipo. Nilitumia muda huo kumuomba mama msamaha na pia nilimsihi aniruhusu niendelee kukisoma kijitabu hicho. Hata hivyo nilijikuta niko chini tayari kumuinuua mama, ambaye wakati anajaribu kunikimbilia alianguka kutokana na viatu virefu alivyovaa siku hiyo. Nililia sana kwa uchungu si tu kwasababu ya kutaka kukisoma kile kijitabu ,bali juu ya mama ambaye alianguka mbele ya wageni wake katika siku hiyo muhimu sana kwake…” ‘Zawadi ya Mama’-Andika na Soma 2016

Facilitators at the launch of the 1st Andika na Soma chapbook
left George Lauwo Manger at Soma and Laila Ally Nanji Asst
Lecturer in the Kiswahili Department at the University
of Dar es Salaam, also one of the judges of this literary competition

Above is an excerpt from the chapbook, within the short story ‘A gift for Mother’ by Maria Makasi. She completed high school at Jangwani Sec School last year. It was through her involvement in the school’s  book club ‘Mzalendo’ that she got wind of Andika’s call for submissions. Currently she’s a member of TYVA-Tanzania Youth Vision Association, where she’s a board member in their TCB-‘training & capacity building’ program. She is also working on the pilot of a TV program to be aired at StarTV, that will assist secondary students to learn Science using music.

Listening to her journey in penning this short story, which involved her learning to use the computer for the first time. Where she lost her work twice a result of power cuts and her rookie experience with PC’s. It was to glimpse a courageous young woman, who despite being a science student  going through form six finals preparations, with little experience in writing literature. Went on to scoop the second prize in last years ‘Andika na Soma’ competition, which had her taking 300,000Tshs cash and books to the same value.

Among the lady writers in this chapbook, left Maria Makasi
and Anneth Mirambo both now graduated from
secondary school awaiting university

As this chapbook was allotted limited funding due to the finite sponsorship of this competition. It will be given to each of the writer’s secondary schools for their libraries, a copy for each to the contributing writers. The remaining  few copies will be retained for public reading at Soma Book Cafe. Maria & Buliba attested how ‘the written word lives on’.  Its commendable how these young writers have gone on to tell vivid stories of their landscape.

The short stories in this chapbook explore pertinent issues in our times like Buliba’s story ‘Timbwili la Inspekta Kajigu’, which looks at drugs & leadership. Also the case for family bonds their myriad facades in our society, themes of democracy, youth employment, rural urban migration & corruption dominate the book. Scoring the fact that youths do have an interest  in our geo-political and cultural edicts and so deserve a platform to air their views more often.

This year entries to ‘Andika na Soma’ competition under the theme globalisation, are closed. Over 400 short stories were submitted ranging from 31 Secondary schools all over the country. The winners will be announced by September this year.

First published in the East African Newspaper..