Writing Africa Podcast
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Episode 45: Ngugi Wa Thiong’o
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hello everyone, this week's focus is on the late greatKenyan writer and academic Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, who passed away on May 28. Enjoy. Please rem...
Episode 44: Rebeka Njau
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Writing Africa is a project that celebrates writers of African descent, be it on the continent or the diaspora; this week's focus is on Kenya’s...
Episode 43: Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
03 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode 43 of the Writing Africa podcast. Writing Africa is a project that celebrates writers of African descent, be it on the continent or...
Episode 42: 12 Years of Writing Africa
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week's focus is the Writing Africa project, which started on April 24, 2013. We talk about some of the highs and achievements over the last 1...
Episode 41: Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse
19 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our focus this week is on Rwandan-born French writer BeataUmubyeyi Mairesse, who writes in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, and is one of the most dec...
Episode 40: NYrobi Book Fest 2025
11 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our focus this week is the NYrobi Book Fest 2025, which runs from April 11 – 13. It is one of the fastest-growing festivals on the African continent...
Episode 39: Niyi Osundare
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Our focus this week is Prof Niyi Osundare who has made a name as a linguist, a critic, and an experienced journalist and teacher is a poet who gained ...
Episode 38: Percival Everett
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s spotlight is Percival Everett, the author of numerous novels, short story collections, poetry, children’s literature, and other forms....
Episode 37: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie returns
07 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode 37 of the Writing Africa Podcast where we focus on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's return with her new novel Dream Count. Please rem...
Episode 36: Recapping March, Interviewing Carol Boyce-Davis
29 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For the Writing Africa Podcast Episode 36, we say goodbye to Kenyan publisher Henry Chakava as we speak about awards, books, and events around Africa...
Episode 35: Recapping August, Interviewing Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu
04 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We say goodbye to Trinidad and Tobago author Michael Anthony, talk about the NBO LitFest, as well as the awards that have been given in August. We als...
Episode 34: Kenya Writes with Goethe-Institut: Chief Nyamweya
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We chat with graphic novelist Chief Nyamweya on how he got into writing graphic novels and the Trust novel which incorporates blockchain in the storyt...
Episode 33: Good Micere Mugo and Kole Omotoso, awards and festivals
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In episode 33, we say goodbye to Good Micere Mugo and Kole Omotoso, and talk about what has been happening is the awards and festivals in African and ...
Episode 32: Litafrika: Artistic Encounters II and other updates
21 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Transition Egyptian Novelist Hamdy Abu Golayyel has passed away Egyptian Novelist Hamdy Abu Golayyel passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2023. Exhibition ...
Episode 31: Goodbye Ama Ata Aidoo, interviewing Abdulrazak Gurnah
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode 29 of the Writing Africa Podcast. It’s a blockbuster one as we say goodbye to author, poet, playwright, and academic Ama Ata Aido...
Episode 30: We are now the Writing Africa Podcast
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time in a decade, we have a new identity in Writing Africa and we explain a bit about why this was so. We also talk about the winners o...
Episode 29: Kenya Writes with Goethe Institut; Khadija Abdalla Bajaber
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode 27 of the Writing Africa Podcast. Today’s guests of Khadija Abdalla Bajaber won the Greywolf Africa Prize in 2018 and went on to ...
Episode 28: Zimbabwe-American writer and publisher Munashe Kaseke
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode 26 of the Writing Africa Podcast. Today’s guest is Zimbabwe-born, USA-based Munashe Kaseke, the writer of the debut short story c...
Episode 27: Kenya Writes with Goethe-Institut: Patrick Ochieng.
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Kenya Writes guest for today is Kisumu-based lawyer and author Patrick Ochieng who was shortlisted for the 2010 Golden Baobab Prize and the NALIF ...
Episode 26: Kenya Writes With Goethe-Institut: Lorna Likiza
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Kenya Writes guest for today is Mombasa-based writer and festival organiser Lorna Likiza whose debut literary offering is the children’s book Oi...
Episode 25: Kenya Writes with Goethe-Institut - Fatma Shafii
07 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fatma Shafii is a Swahili writer who likes to write about human behaviour and emerging issues affecting the continent based in Mombasa. Her poems, fic...
Episode 24: Mariette Tchamda Mbunpi and Annette Michael
30 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s podcast, repurposed from the livestream that happened on November 25, 2020 featuring Mariette Tchamda Mbunpi and Annette Michael. The po...
Episode 23: Ondjaki and Philipp Khabo Koepsell livestream
02 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s podcast, repurposed from the livestream that happened on Thursday, November 18, 2020 featuring Ondjaki and Philipp Khabo Koepsell. The p...
Episode 22: Maaza Mengiste and Antje Rávik Strubel livestream - Part 2
28 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This week’s podcast, repurposed from the Thursday, November 12 livestream, features Maaza Mengiste and Antje Rávik Strubel. The podcast is a produc...
Episode 21: Maaza Mengiste and Antje Rávik Strubel livestream - Part 1
28 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to episode 20 of the James Murua Literary Podcast. This week’s podcast, repurposed from the Thursday, November 12 Livestream, features Maaza...
Episode 20: Abubakar Adam Ibrahim livestream - Part 2
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is a Nigerian writer and journalist who has written the short story collection "The Whispering Trees" and the award-winning nove...
Episode 19: Abubakar Adam Ibrahim livestream- Part 1
20 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is a Nigerian writer and journalist who has written the short story collection "The Whispering Trees" and the award-winning nove...
Episode 18: Ayesha Harruna Attah interview
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ayesha Harruna Attah is a Ghanaian-born Senegal-based writer of the books Harmattan Rain (2008), Saturday's Shadow (2015), and The Hundred Wells of Sa...
Episode 17: Peter Kimani interview
07 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Peter Kimani is an award-winning Kenyan author and journalist. He works across a broad spectrum of genres, from fiction to non-fiction, poetry, and pl...
Episode 16: Chimeka Garricks interview
29 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chimeka Garricks is a lawyer, editor, and ghost copywriter. His fiction includes the acclaimed novel, Tomorrow Died Yesterday and the collection of sh...
Episode 15: Joe Khamisi interview (with Prestige Books).
01 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Khamisi has had a long history of public service in Kenya. For many years he worked as a journalist before transitioning into civil service and th...
Episode 14: Kenyan novelist Makena Maganjo (sponsored by Prestige Books).
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The African Literary Podcast, sponsored by Nairobi-based Prestige Books, interviews Kenyan novelist Makena Maganjo. A few weeks ago, Makena Maganjo’...
Episode 13: Lauren Beukes (with Prestige Books).
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Lauren Beukes is the author of the books Maverick: Extraordinary Women From South Africa's Past (2004), Moxyland (2008), Zoo City(2010), The Shining G...
Episode 12: Kinyanjui Kombani interview (sponsored by Prestige Books)
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 12, we interview with Kenyan writer of fiction for all ages Kinyanjui Kombani. Kombani has two novels in The Last Villains of Molo and Den ...
Episode 11: Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor interview (sponsored by Prestige Books)
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is an exclusive interview with Kenyan novelist Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor conducted in a little café by Lavington Mall, Nairobi. She talks about her ...
Episode 10: Mohale Mashigo interview
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
South African writer Mohale Mashigo talks about her work on her novel The Yearning, how she got to work on South Africa’s first comic superher...
Episode 9: Eulogising Charles Mungoshi
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the African Literary Podcast Episode 9, we eulogise Zimbabwe author, poet and actor Charles Mungoshi who passed away on February 16, 2019.
Episode 8: Mukoma Wa Ngugi keynote address
08 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In Episode 8, we give you the lecture that was given by author, poet, and scholar Mukoma Wa Ngugi at St Paul's University in Limuru on Thursday, Febru...
Episode 7: News from the African literary scene
04 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The African Literary Podcast by James Murua returns with look back at what happened in 2018 , new books and festivals of note. We also say goodbye to ...
Episode 6: Pede Hollist interview
21 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sierra Leone novelist, short story writer and academic Pede Hollist speaks about his book So The Path Does Not Die with a focus on how he breathed lif...
Episode 5: Kafula Mwila interview.
15 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Interview with Zambian writer Kafula Mwila on the sidelines of the Time of the Writer 2018 in Durban, South Africa. Kafula is writer of Kafula’s Ess...
Episode 4: Angela Makholwa interview
08 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
James Murua interviews Angela Makholwa on her books "Red Ink", "The Thirtieth Candle," "The Black Widows Society" which might soon be on a movie theat...
Episode 3: News from the African literary scene
31 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 3. Thank you everyone for liking and sharing the podcast on all social media platforms so far. Just like in previous episodes, I’...
Episode 2: News from the African literary scene
23 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We interview Time of a Writer official Chipo Zhou, review "A General Theory Of Oblivion" by Angolan writer Jose Eduardo Agualusa and give news from li...
Episode 1: The Journey Begins
09 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
James Murua of African Literary blog JamesMurua.com's first podcast