Kakwenza Rukirabashaija

Kakwenza Rukirabashaija (born 1 October 1988) is a Ugandan novelist and lawyer.[2] He is the author of The Greedy Barbarian[3] and Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous.[4] He was named winner of the English PEN 2021 Pinter International Writer of Courage Award.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

Kakwenza Rukirabashaija with his Havel Prize

Kakwenza Rukirabashaija
BornKakwenza Rukirabashaija
(1988-10-01) 1 October 1988
Rukungiri District, Uganda
OccupationLawyer and Novelist
NationalityUgandan
Alma mater
GenreFiction, satire
Notable works
  • The Greedy Barbarian (2020)
  • Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous (2020)
Notable awards
  • English PEN International Writer of Courage Award 2021
  • 2022 Nominee for Disturbing the Peace Award
[1]

Early life and education

Kakwenza was born on 1 October 1988 in Rukungiri District, South Western Uganda. He studied at several primary schools in the same district. He attended Kyamakanda Secondary School, Makobore High School and Kigezi College Butobere for O'level. He later joined Muyenga High School in Kampala for A'level. He graduated with a bachelor's degree of Laws from Cavendish University Uganda, degree in development studies from Kyambogo University, a master's degree in journalism from the University of Cape Town.[12]

Marriage

He is married to Eva Basiima.[13]

Life

On 13 April 2020, Kakwenza was arrested by security operatives from his home in Iganga and detained for publishing his first book The Greedy Barbarian[3] which they believed was about the person of President Yoweri Museveni.[14][15][16]

He was arrested again on 18 September 2020 after writing another novel, narrating his ordeal in the hands of his captors. The book is titled Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous.[4][15][17]

In February 2021, Kakwenza sued the Government of Uganda for the torture he suffered at the hands of Chieftancy of Military Intelligence (CMI) security operatives.[18][19]

On 28 December 2021 Ugandan security forces arrested Kakwenza after he had insulted Muhoozi on Twitter calling him obese and ridiculed his military training.[20][21][22] The arrest was condemned by opposition leader Bobi Wine and PEN International.[23][24][25][26] On 4 January 2022, a Ugandan court called for his release.[27] He was released for a brief home visit under armed guard that day. He showed visible signs of torture from the Ugandan police, including bloodstains on his clothing, which was removed by Kakwenza and kept by his wife. Pictures of his blood-stained clothing were uploaded to Twitter by Kiiza Eron, a Ugandan human rights lawyer.[13] Although the Judicial courts had retained his passport asserting that the premises for his request to vacate the country were weak, Kakwenza fled Uganda to neighbouring Rwanda in February 2022 fearing for his life. He arrived in Germany on 24 February 2022.[28]

Awards
  • 2021 PEN Pinter Prize International Writer of Courage.[6][29][30]
  • 2023 Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent: Nicaraguan political cartoonist by The Human Rights Foundation (HRF).[31][32]

Publications
  • The Greedy Barbarian, self-published, 2020. theworldiswatching, 2023. ISBN 9783982513201.[3]
  • Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous, Kisana Consults, [Uganda], 2020. ISBN 9789970743049.[4]

References
  1. "2022 DISTURBING THE PEACE AWARD TO A COURAGEOUS WRITER AT RISK: SHORT LIST ANNOUNCED". vhlf.org. The Václav Havel Library Foundation. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  2. Kaggwa, Andrew (30 January 2022). "And yet Kakwenza still writes bluntly in a Banana Republic". Daily Monitor monitor.co.ug. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  3. Seaman, Jacobs O. (March 2021). "Book review: The Greedy Barbarian". whispereye.co.ug. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Kayibanda is a miscreant personified. He is born without moral scruples. And no father. But with an enviable ability to invent such putrid mischief and greed that even the writer appears at a loss to narrate.
  4. Rukirabashaija, Kakwenza (21 September 2020). "Book Serialization: Banana Republic, Where Writing Is Treasonous--Part II". blackstarnews.com. Author and Black Star News columnist Rukirabashaija out on bail. Black Star News is serializing below a new book Banana Republic, Where Writing Is Treasonous by Ugandan author and Black Star News columnist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija.
  5. "Penwrites. Send a message of support and solidarity to Ugandan novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija". englishpen.org. 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  6. Bayley, Sian (11 October 2021). "Ugandan novelist Rukirabashaija named 2021 International Writer of Courage | The Bookseller". www.thebookseller.com. The Bookseller. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  7. Flood, Alison (11 October 2021). "Kakwenza Rukirabashaija named this year's International Writer of Courage". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  8. Kazibwe, Kenneth (12 October 2021). "Uganda's Kakwenza Rukirabashaija named International Writer of Courage". Nile Post. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  9. Ahmed, Abdulateef (12 October 2021). "Ugandan Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija Named 2021 International Writer of Courage". News Central TV | Latest Breaking News Across Africa, Daily News in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Egypt Today. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  10. UGC (2021). "Kakwenza Rukirabashaija: Ugandan Author named 2021 International Writer of Courage". Gazeti App. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  11. Biryomumaisho, Sarah (12 October 2021). "Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija awarded 2021 International Writer of Courage. He does not fear to write whatever comes in his mind and he is fond of using literature of to describe people. For example using words like Bumlicker to describe the first son Gen. Kainerugaba Muhoozi.– The UGPost". Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  12. Jjingo, Ernest (17 November 2021). "Kakwenza Rukirabashaija: I am penning an erotic book". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  13. JACINTO, Leela (4 January 2022). "Detained Ugandan satirical novelist displays signs of torture on brief home visit". France 24. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  14. "Urgent Action: Activist Arrested for Criticizing the President (Uganda: UA 56.20)". Amnesty International USA. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  15. International, P. E. N. (2 October 2020). "Uganda: drop all charges against Kakwenza…". PEN International. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  16. Anyanwu, Faustina (22 July 2020). "Kakwenza Rukirabashaija: Ugandan Author Tortured For Criticising the Government In His Book". C.Hubmagazine. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  17. "Uganda: Freedom on the Net 2021 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  18. "Author sues govt over torture". New Vision. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  19. Kazibwe, Kenneth (1 February 2021). "Critical book writer, Kakwenza sues government over torture". Nile Post. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  20. "Ugandan author arrested". BBC News. 29 December 2021.
  21. "Ugandan satirical novelist and prominent critic of president arrested". Reuters. 28 December 2021.
  22. "Tweet about Muhoozi". Twitter.
  23. Busingye, Emmanuel (29 December 2021). "Bobi condemns arrest of writer Kakwenza". Ekyooto.
  24. "Immediately and unconditionally release novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija". pen-international.org. Pen International. 30 December 2021.
  25. "Ugandan author of The Greedy Barbarian detained - lawyer". BBC News. 29 December 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  26. Graham-Harrison, Emma (9 January 2022). "PEN prize-winning Ugandan novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija illegally detained and tortured". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  27. Ross, Will (4 January 2022). "Africa Live: Court orders release of Ugandan author". BBC World Service.
  28. "Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija arrives in Germany". independent.co.ug. The Independent. 24 February 2022.
  29. Agencies (12 October 2021). "Kakwenza named this year's International Writer of Courage | Uganda". www.monitor.co.ug. Nation Media Group. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  30. Otosirieze (11 October 2021). "Kakwenza Rukirabashaija Is PEN's International Writer of Courage 2021". Open Country Mag. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  31. natalia.saucedo (7 June 2023). "Announcing the 2023 Havel Prize Laureates". Human Rights Foundation. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  32. "Kakwenza wins Shs185m prize for creative dissent". Monitor. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
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