Authors in commemorative indaba

ON SATURDAY afternoon local writers meet in Harare at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair Association offices under the banner of the Zimbabwe Writers Association to commemorate late writer Samuel Chimsoro and to give the writers an opportunity to interact with the Zimbabwe Publishing House.

Samuel Chimsoro, author of books “Dama Rekutanga” and “Smoke and Flames”, died last year in Zhombe.

A water technician by training, Chimsoro died quietly in his rural homestead and there was no press coverage until after his burial. This is because he always lived and worked like a hermit and was not keen on publicity.

His writing style was considered private and dense. One of them is a children’s book, “Hovhiyo neHowa” which is both entertaining and bewildering. It is a little tale about a wife who, in a bid to pamper her husband’s appetite for mush- room, ends up preparing a tempting dish which has a potential to destroy the family through poisoning.

There will be various readings from Chimsoro’s works and discussion will centre on his work and vision as an artist. It is hoped that the Chimsoro family will attend.

The second half of the meeting is sponsored by the Zimbabwe Publishing House who will take time to educate writers and scholars about the ongoing projects at ZPH, with a view of finding ways of responding to the demands of the new curriculum.

ZWA vice chairperson, writer Monica Cheru said that this event is the first of many ZWA events to follow later in the year.

“It is understood that writers tend to work in private, but once in a while they need to come together and reflect on their art,” Cheru said. She also said that this is an event open to ZWA members, all writers and partners in the book industry.