Enkare Review Issue 1 Cover Image. ‘Mutua in the City‘ (c) 2017 Imeldah Natasha Kondo.

The Nairobi-based literary magazine Enkare Review has released its widely awaited Issue No 1, and it includes the much-discussed ambitious interview with David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker.

Also in the Issue is fiction by Stephen Embleton, Wanjala Njalale, Wairimũ Mũrĩithi, Eboka Chukwudi Peter, Amatesiro Dore, and Frances Ogamba; poetry by Michelle Angwenyi, K.A.ALI, and the Brunel International Poetry Prize-shortlisted Romeo Oriogun; nonfiction by Otiato Guguyu; and a Bonus section featuring writing by M.V. Sematlane, Sylvie Taussig, Mapule Mohulatsi, and Liam Kruger.

Here is an excerpt from the Issue’s Editorial.

In July 2016, a bunch of twenty-something-year-olds sat down in a cafe on Koinange Lane in Nairobi and decided to set up a literary magazine. They had no idea of the amount of time, energy and dedication it takes to run a literary magazine. All they knew is that they wanted to create a space that would allow both emerging and established writers to converge and have narratives that converse with one another.

Despite all these doubts, we set up shop on August 3, starting off with a review of the stories shortlisted for the 2016 Writivism Short Story Prize. We are proud to say that during the short period that we have been in existence, we have published work by writers who have influenced the shape of literature on the African continent and beyond.

This hasn’t been without several challenges but we have taken these as ways of learning to make Enkare Review even better.

Some of our hopes have been dashed but in it all we have gained more than we had ever dreamed of.

Eight months later, here we are with our first issue.

It is not perfect, of this we are aware.

But it contains works from some of the most exciting voices in the literary landscape.

The serene, black-and-white photograph on the Issue’s cover is by Imelda Natasha Kondo and we’re loving it.

Congratulations to the Enkare Review Team.

Read the entire Issue on Enkare Review.