Zimpapers Logo

Kumbirayi Shoniwa Entertainment Reporter
Writer Ignatius Mabasa is (pictured below) is set to launch his new novel entitled “Imbwa Yemunhu” at New Ambassador Hotel today.
The launch ceremony would be combined with a prize-giving event for children that won the Kwayedza poem-writing competition sponsored by Zimpapers.
“Imbwa Yemunhu” is the writer’s third novel after “Mapenzi” and “Ndafa Here”, which received wide critical acclaim.
The novel is a journey into a person’s thought processes and how they respond to life in general especially in the face of personal regrets resulting from ill-advised choices.

Musa is pressed by his mother to marry Hazvi when he has no feelings for her and he encounters problems because he only wants to please the community which expects him to get married.

On the other hand, Richard does the same by marrying Julie just for the sake of it, leading to Julie and Musa having an affair which is considered taboo in the same community which has forced them into a loveless marriages.

Thus, Julie wishes she had a man like Musa instead of Richard while Hazvi wishes she had not had the misfortune of having an abusive father who rapes her but the community turns a blind eye to such “embarrassing” behaviour.

In another scenario in the novel a politician’s wife wishes her husband had employed white aides instead of black ones because then, she could have been saved from meeting Musa (one of the aides), who has brought hell into her life.

Musa’s brother, Hamu, wishes he had not pushed Musa into marrying Hazvi because that could have saved him the embarrassment that comes from the arranged union.

“Imbwa Yemunhu” is a story about failure to come face to face with the results of one’s choices and is very relevant in the lives of almost everyone who can relate to the various characters in the novel, and questions are raised into what really constitutes “dog-like” behaviour.

Mabasa uses his creative genius to enter into what could be considered taboo territories such as drunkenness, prostitution, sexual abuse, sadness and an innate hunger for happiness whilst also trying to please an insatiable and judgemental society.

“The title excites people because we use the dog metaphor frequently used by Zimbabweans. People always talk about ‘Hunhu Hwembwa’, and ‘Imbwa Yemunhu’.

“My book tries to capture the essence of how we are quick to judge others without delving into the real causes of why these people act like they do,” said Mabasa.