The book, Guveya was launched in Bulawayo last week.
“This book is a fictional story of the political violence, including the Gukurahundi atrocities, which this country has gone through. The book also reminds readers of the 2002 and 2008 political violence, which left a lot of Zimbabweans either maimed or killed,” said Ndlovu in an interview with The Zimbabwean.
Gukurahundi, which in Shona means ‘early rains that wash away chaff’, was the government’s four-year violent crackdown on civilians after independence in the Midlands and Matabeleland provinces.
Ndlovu, who says he is an indirect victim of Gukurahundi, said the book also talked about unemployment, social exclusion and the marginalisation of the Matabeleland region, which had resulted in the closure of many companies. “My own grandfather was a victim of Gukurahundi. I, and the rest of the people from this region, have also been victims of marginalisation. Most of the areas from this region are underdeveloped compared to other parts of the country. It’s an issue that needs urgent attention,” he said.
Ndlovu revealed that Guveya, which means a double-headed snake in Tonga language, is the main character in the book.
“The name metaphorically refers to a political flip-flopper,” he said.
Ndlovu has contributed to various forms of art, including literature, film and animation. He has also published several books in Ndebele and in English.
He has also produced two documentaries, Mapostori (beyond the sacred mysteries) and A Bleeding Past. Ndlovu said he plans to turn Guveya into a film.
Post published in: Arts