Inside Harare Alcatraz and other short stories. A book review by Philip Matogo

Respected author, book critic and poet Philip Matogo questions and praises Andrew Chatora's first short story collection for bringing to the fore aspects of contemporary Zimbabwe that are typical of African conditions and the diaspora, and also points out that the stories encompass the Sophocles tragedy.

In the main story of this debut collection by Andrew Chatora, a man with multiple identities goes to prison… (I know, you thought he would end up in a mental institution with such a disorder). However, his disorder or illness is not an ordinary one. Going to prison to spy on prisoners is actually his job!

The man is a political spy, a secret agent, some would say. He is being sent to prison for doing what is known in his profession as “wetwork,” a euphemism for murder or assassination that alludes to bloodshed.

So he is sent by the Zimbabwe security police to the maximum security prison Alcatraz in Harare to eliminate political dissidents Jacob and Hopewell. But then the two men he is supposed to eliminate reveal their impeccable humanity and things become more unclear than any hint of colorful criminality.

Jacob and Hopewell are well-known Zimbabwean democracy campaigners who have been in and out of prison. This story uses real, living characters in a work of complete fantasy, something that Ignatius Mabasa, the other major Zimbabwean author, is known for. When fiction and fact come together, the spark becomes huge, encompassing both its source and its catalyst.

“You see, Chipendani, we are non-violent political prisoners here in Harare Alcatraz. We do not want to profit personally, but for posterity, our children, their children and the generations to come,” Jacob tells the would-be murderer.

Andrew Chatora

Instead of killing the two men, their would-be murderer is gradually and convincingly persuaded to their cause. As you can imagine, this does not end well for him.

Several other stories enliven the pages of this well-written book, whose language and diction will amaze and amuse any reader. These stories by Andrew Chatora are in keeping with Jarrell Randall's view of the kind of stories in which everything happens (in which every event is so charged that the narrative threatens to disintegrate into energy!)

In the follow-up story, “Black Britain,” the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is incorporated into a storyline that will keep readers glued to every page.

As some readers may know, BLM activists seek to raise awareness of the racism that leads to the criminal mistreatment of black people. This movement has met with support, but predictably, also fierce opposition.

“Opinions on race relations in contemporary Britain are always highly polarised and couched in binary oppositions such as 'us versus them' and 'white versus non-white'. As such, it was common to be met with a barrage of vitriolic and derogatory insults and posts when speaking out for racial equality and a fair and just society,” says protagonist Anesu after the police, once again predictably, stop the family car. As an essay-short story, this work requires a delicate balance between narrative finesse and analytical prowess, making this book a must-read for the BLM movement.

In the story “A Quick Decision,” a mother who is characterized by easy virtue ends up with a group of men, some of whom deflower and sexually abuse her daughter.

A gruesome murder occurs and the helpless child is sentenced to 12 years in prison. Fortunately and quite fittingly, amidst the sexual traumas of her life, she finds love.

In Uganda, there are kafundas. You know, the seedy dives that are famous for their affordability and accessibility.

In South Africa and Zimbabwe there are shebeens, which are informal and unlicensed drinking establishments in the townships and mining areas. However, because these places are outside the scope of the law, some of the most despicable things happen there and these places are of interest to many writers searching for hidden social truths.

“Estelle, the Shebeen Queen and Other Dangamvura Vignettes” captures the heartlessness and soullessness of these establishments, particularly in Mutare, Zimbabwe, where the story is set.

The men who frequent these bars are left with disease and debt as the opportunistic women who run these bars lure them into proverbial honey traps. They limp back into open society burdened with stories they may not be able to tell.

Aided and abetted by wily members of Zimbabwe's ruling party, these shops make the poor poorer by squandering their pennies to buy the charms of Mai Kere, MaSibanda and other floozy.

These women are nothing more than sorceresses. They are modeled after the Latin succubus, or female-looking demons or supernatural beings from folklore who appear in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. It is said that a succubus needs sperm to survive. Repeated sexual activity with a succubus results in a bond being formed between the succubus and the person. A succubus will drain or hurt the man she has sexual intercourse with. Andrew Chatora's stories are sure to excite Ugandan and other African readers. These stories go beyond Zimbabwe.

But what you find in these stories is more than just a dream. It's a true nightmare.

Later, in another story, Smoke and Mirrors, a man living abroad in a secret bigamous relationship must support two families. He is unable to do so. This leads to a series of undesirable consequences.

By and large, the 11 short stories in this book represent a typical Sophocles tragedy.

The characters are often portrayed as noble figures brought down by a single tragic mistake or “hamartia”. This style of storytelling raises several moral questions that hardly have easy answers. Andrew Chatora joins a list of eminent short story writers from his country, the best of which are Charles Mungoshi, Doris Lessing and Dambudzo Marechera. Their country was once described as the “land of short stories” because almost every Zimbabwean who is well known today started with short stories or has at some point published a short story collection.

* This review first appeared in the Daily Monitor, an independent Ugandan newspaper. The reviewer, Philip Matogo, is a newspaper columnist, book critic and poet. He has published two books, Fabric of Grey and Whispers in the Sky, and contributed to numerous international poetry anthologies. He lives in Kampala, Uganda.

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