Bulawayo-based author Liberty Ndaba, popularly known as MC Umahlabayithwale, is set to launch his latest Ndebele novel, Umdlewadlewane, on 20 June 2026 in a bid to promote indigenous languages, literature and cultural heritage in Zimbabwe.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Ndaba said the novel was inspired by a desire to honour ordinary people who make significant contributions to their communities but often receive little recognition. He added that the book also seeks to celebrate people’s origins and preserve cultural identity.
“My inspiration for writing this book came from wanting to give credit to people who do remarkable things in their communities, whether in sports, culture or other fields, but often go unnoticed,” said Ndaba.
“We need to recognise our roots and our history. That is what inspired me to write Umdlewadlewane. Those who read the book will discover rich literary expressions that are rarely found in school textbooks or many contemporary publications. Much of this rich literature exists within rural communities, and I wanted to capture and preserve it.”
Ndaba said the writing process took one year and six months and was marked by several challenges, particularly in gathering information from communities.
He said many people are often reluctant to discuss events and experiences from their communities, making research difficult.
“This novel took me one year and six months to write. One of the biggest challenges was accessing information because many people do not want to talk about things that have happened or are happening where they live,” he said.
“I am Ndebele by upbringing and I usually write about the history and culture of Ndebele-speaking people from Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Bulawayo. There is also a shortage of literature written in our language, which is why I chose Ndebele as my medium of expression. I feel I can best express these stories in my mother tongue.”
Ndaba described the launch as an important milestone in promoting indigenous languages and expanding the body of literature available in local languages.
He said the novel explores themes of heritage and identity that align with ongoing efforts to promote heritage-based education in Zimbabwe.
“This launch is important because literature written in our indigenous languages remains limited. Readers will find many heritage-related themes in the book,” he said.
“As a country, we are promoting heritage-based education, and I believe this book will contribute significantly to the preservation and promotion of indigenous languages and Zimbabwean literature.”
Ndaba said the novel is aimed at a broad audience, including primary and secondary school learners, college and university students, as well as anyone interested in Zimbabwe’s history, culture and traditions.
He said literature plays a crucial role in preserving cultural heritage and ensuring future generations remain connected to their roots.
“My target audience includes learners from primary school to university level, as well as anyone interested in the historical and cultural themes explored in the book,” he said.
“Reading this book will help preserve our cultural heritage and traditional values. It also features contributions from three other authors who are former students of mine and accomplished poets.”
Ndaba said he plans to publish more works in the future and called for greater collaboration among writers to ensure Zimbabwe’s history and culture are documented for future generations.
“We need more collaboration among authors and literary practitioners to ensure that our history does not disappear. Our culture, traditions, heroes, heroines, places and historical landmarks must be documented and preserved,” he said.
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