Alexander Nderitu’s latest book, Disco Matanga, is a collection of ten love-laced short stories set in Africa. The 267-page tome delves into multiple themes including continental politics, Pan-Africanism, nuclear power, colonial legacies, mental health, language, tribal customs, and superstitions.
In one story, titled ‘Love and Rockets’, the author envisions a scenario in which Nigerians have elected their first female Commander-in-Chief, one Madam Faizah Abdulnasir. A fictional American magazine in the story describes her thus:
Abuja, Nigeria – Few world leaders today elicit the kind of excitement that Nigeria’s Faizah Abdulnasir does. The 65-year-old career politician, who is married to oil tycoon Karim Abdulnasir, is part politico, part celebrity, and part religious icon. Ms. Faizah Abdulnasir beat three male candidates last month in a hotly-contested election that was marred by mud-slinging and sporadic violence.
Since her electoral victory, she has scarcely left the front pages of newspapers across Africa and the Middle East. A Moroccan griot composed a song in her honour, titled ‘The Queen of the North.’ Libyans call her ‘Sister Leader Faizah’, reminiscent of the late Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s title of ‘Brotherly Leader of the Revolution.’ In Egypt, her famously hijab’d image was projected onto the Giza pyramid on her election victory night. During her first African Union meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, media attention was so focused on her that the host Prime Minister joked that all the other heads of state were merely ‘accompanying her to the summit.’
‘She ticks so many boxes,’ a University of Abuja Professor of Political Science I interviewed said. ‘She’s the first woman leader we’ve had; she’s a devout Muslim – which grants her iconic status in the global Muslim world; she’s been a civilian all her life – we’re tired of being ruled by former generals; she’s photogenic – she’s actually a fashion icon, especially with her flowery hijabs and dark stunners; and she appears to be a genuinely nice person. A people person. She has a wonderful sense of humour.’
…But all is not rosy back at home. Ms. Faizah has an almost insurmountable task ahead of her: that of transforming Nigeria into a progressive nation by international standards. Unemployment remains high, terrorism persists, the economy is ailing, food prices are sky-high, and corruption is endemic…
In creating the character of ‘Ms. Faizah’, the Kenyan-born author didn’t have to look far for inspiration. He simply modelled her on Tanzania’s first female Head of State, H.E. Hon. Samia Suluhu Hassan. Nderitu says:
‘Madam Suluhu was the model. She’s hugely popular in Kenya, especially amongst women. She first visited Kenya in May 2021 and addressed the Kenyan National Assembly. She wowed the country with her calm-but-authoritative demeanour and seemingly effortless charm. All the women leaders present wanted to have a photo shoot with her. Mind you, it was the first state visit to Kenya by a Tanzanian president since 2016. The stated objective of the two-day official visit was to strengthen ties between the two neighbouring East African countries. She was received by then Kenyan President H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta and honoured with a 21-gun salute at the Nairobi State House.’
On 13th September 2022, President Suluhu attended the inauguration of Kenya’s fifth president, H. E. William Samoei Ruto. She spoke at that event as well, in front of hundreds of thousands of citizens packed into Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium. Subsequently, Tanzania was the first nation President Ruto visited after his swearing in.
Alexander Nderitu is an award-winning writer, poet, playwright, and critic. In 2001, he published Africa’s first e-novel, When the Whirlwind Passes. He has since published three more books in both electronic and paperback formats: The Moon is Made of Green Cheese (2008), Kiss Commander Promise (2021), and The Talking of Trees (2021). In 2017, Business Daily newspaper named him Kenya’s ‘Top 40 Under 40 Men’. In 2021, his play Freedom Corner was a co-winner of the IHRAF Africa Playwriting Competition. In 2022, he took third place in the Share Africa Climate Fiction 2022 Awards. In early 2023, Nairobi’s Nuria Bookstore listed Disco Matanga as one of the Top 100 Kenyan Books of 2022.
Disco Matanga is available worldwide via Amazon.com and Nuria Bookstore.
