Zimbabwe: Award-Winning Novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga Rubbishes Plagiarism Claims By UK Author

RENOWNED author, Tsitsi Dangarembga has dismissed “absurd” claims by United Kingdom-based writer Masimba Mukichi, who accused her of plagiarising his work in her award-winning novel, Nervous Conditions.

Mukichi, in an online article, alleged that Dangarembga, along with Chenjerai Hove, “connived to steal” his book, Culture is the Cornerstone of Life, more than three decades ago.

He claimed that Hove, who managed Zimbabwe Publishing, and Dangarembga took his manuscript after it was rejected for publication.

In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, Dangarembga poked holes in Mukichi’s inconsistent claims.

“……an absurd article whose argument makes no sense since the text in question had already been sent for publication elsewhere years before the alleged actions were said to have taken place. This is to say nothing of other inconsistencies.” said Dangarembga.

Interestingly, Nervous Conditions was reportedly rejected by local publishers before being published by The Women’s Press in London in 1988.

The novel is the first in Dangarembga’s trilogy, followed by The Book of Not (2006) and This Mournable Body (2020).

The book focuses on the experiences of a young girl, Tambudzai, in a post-colonial Zimbabwean family and has won numerous awards, including the Best Book of the Commonwealth Writers Prize.

It is regarded as one of the best works of local literature and was recently translated into Shona by Ignatius Mabasa.

“An honourable journalist who made an honest mistake would simply do proper research and check alleged facts.

“They would retract the article on uncovering the truth, apologise to all concerned and in future try harder — hopefully with more success — to be professional,” said Dangarembga.