Set against the backdrop of the Rwandan war in the 1990s, the story follows Marina, a young girl who loses her parents and finds refuge in an orphanage. There, an Italian priest offers her hope for a brighter future, but her life takes a dark turn when she becomes pregnant after an encounter with Matayo. Determined to escape her circumstances, Marina embarks on a journey to the city, seeking independence and a fresh start amidst the chaos surrounding her.
A Ugandan author’s “unsettling and richly atmospheric” novel of a young African woman confronting the brutal end of Idi Amin’s dictatorship ( Publishers Weekly ). Set in the seventies during the last year of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin’s brutal, often surreal rule, Waiting evokes the fear and courage of a small close-knit society uncertain of what the edicts of a madman or the marauding of his disintegrating army will bring with each day. Safe for years in their remote Ugandan village, thirteen-year-old Alinda and her family are suddenly faced with the terror of the self-proclaimed “Last King of Scotland” when troops of his use the local highway to escape anti-Amin Ugandan and Tanzanian allied forces. With her pregnant mother on the verge of labor, her brother anxious to join the Liberators, and a house full of hungry siblings, neighbors, and refugees, Alinda learns what it takes to endure terrible hardship, and to hope for a better tomorrow . . . "Kyomuhendo delineates the strife of her war-torn country with vivid, unflinching verve." — Publishers Weekly
Vera, a driven 29-year-old, is on a quest for love and success in the bustling Kampala of the 2000s. After a series of disappointments, she finds hope in Eric, a charming corporate executive. However, a shocking secret threatens their budding romance, forcing Vera to confront her priorities. With a blend of humor and cultural insights, the story explores her journey through the complexities of modern Ugandan life, balancing aspirations of career, motherhood, and relationships while embracing her vibrant identity.
