"Fiction is the last free thing in the World" says Kimani at SFAL

January 27, 2025 / 12:17 PM

Sharjah24: The first edition of the Sharjah Festival of African Literature (SFAL) delivered yet another profound session with a Book Talk session featuring acclaimed Kenyan author Peter Kimani. Kimani praised SFAL as a crucial space for fostering understanding and building bridges between Africa and the world. “The festival is an absolutely wonderful experience and what we need – platforms where African writers tell our stories to global audiences. Sharjah is fostering connections that aren’t just geographical but deeply cultural, bringing Africa’s richness and complexity into focus.

Conversation with Abdul Kareem Hanif

The author, in conversation with journalist Abdul Kareem Hanif, delved into the historical, cultural, and emotional depths of his celebrated novel, Dance of the Jakaranda.

The book offers a sweeping reimagination of the events that brought together men from different ethnicities to lay the railroad that birthed modern Kenya. This unusual protagonist—the railroad—was the heart of Kimani’s session.

Stories of Empire and Exploitation

“Railroads are not just steel tracks,” the journalist and poet told an engaged audience. “They are stories of empire and exploitation, of connection and division, and of how nations reconcile their past while imagining their future.” The railroad in Dance of the Jakaranda, he shared, serves as a literary device to revisit Kenya’s origins under British rule and examine the enduring patterns created by colonial infrastructures.

Storytelling as Reclamation

A key theme of the discussion was Kimani’s belief in storytelling as an act of reclamation. Fiction, he argued, allows truths to run freer than in other forms of expression. “I still work as a journalist, but if I’m being honest, fiction is where I feel the least burdened,” he admitted. “Journalism in my opinion bears the weight of ownership. Fiction is the last free thing in the world. It lets us imagine, reinvent, and explore truth in ways that other forms can't.”

Young Africans and Digital Tools

He noted that young Africans today are “using the tools of the digital age to challenge stereotypes, share their stories, and build new platforms where African perspectives thrive.” Giving an example, he praised how digitally savvy Africans recently forced a headline correction from a major media outlet after it inaccurately framed a story about East Africa. “Changing the narrative starts with actions like these,” he said.

Caution Against Digital Colonisation

However, the former newspaper editor issued a cautionary note about the risks of digital colonisation in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. “The next wave of colonialism is embedded in digital tools and the systems that prioritize certain worldviews above others,” he warned. “Africa must define its interests and safeguard its stories.”

Upcoming Project in Nairobi

Kimani also lifted the veil on his upcoming project, which will mark his first novel set entirely in Nairobi. “Now I want to explore Nairobi, the city I call home,” he revealed. The book, he hinted, will explore migration, identity, and love, set during the Cold War and the political upheavals of the Horn of Africa.

Accolades and Recognition

Among his many accolades, he was one of only three international poets invited to compose and present a poem to mark Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration in January 2009.