Africans should write and preserve their own stories rather than leave their history and experiences to be told by others, Ambassador Joseph Mutaboba has told authors.

The retired diplomat who represented Rwanda at the United Nations and African Union said many people have important experiences, knowledge and stories that could be lost if they are not recorded, urging writers to put them into books and other written work.

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Mutaboba was speaking at the Professional Authors International (PAI) conference in Kigali, on September 10.

"For generations, Africa has been described, interpreted and explained by others. We should welcome scholarship from everywhere but Africa cannot remain merely the subject of other people’s narratives,” he noted.

He pointed out that authorship was not just about having something to say, but having the discipline to write it down clearly, honestly and responsibly.

"Many people have extraordinary experiences. Many carry important knowledge. Many have stories that deserve to be told,” he said.

The ambassador said experiences can disappear when they are not recorded, while knowledge can be lost when it is not passed on.

He added that the history that Africans do not write themselves may eventually be written by others from their own perspectives.

"Writing requires patience, research and courage, the courage to begin and the humility to revise. A serious author must be prepared to question an argument, verify a fact, rewrite a paragraph and sometimes abandon pages that simply do not work. That is not failure, but authorship.”

Publishing, readership challenges

For many writers, publishing a book comes with the cost of production, while finding readers to buy it remains difficult.

Anaclet Ruzindana, an author and publisher who writes mainly on history, said many writers earn little from book sales because publishers often take a large share of the revenue.

Ruzindana said most publishers use royalty arrangements under which authors receive as little as 10 to 15 percent. He said publishers may also take over marketing and copyright, leaving writers with little return after authors have invested time and money in their work.

He said the arrangement has pushed many authors to give up.

Ruzindana added that the problem is also made worse by declining interest in physical books, as more people turn to the internet and social media for reading and information.

Mariana Mwanza, a Zambian author who has been writing since 2021, said financial constraints have prevented her from publishing some of her work.

"I have to sell certain books so that I can at least have capital to help me write more books and publish other books,” she said.

Ruzindana proposed a publishing model in which authors keep ownership of their books and pay publishers for the services they provide instead of giving publishers a share of future sales.

The PAI conference was the organisation’s seventh annual conference. Rwanda was selected to host this year’s event during the previous conference in Nairobi.

Discussions focused on writing, authorship, editing and management of the organisation, including the work of its executive committee and its ethical standards.

The conference attracted 63 participants from outside Rwanda, while 30 Rwandan participants were registered. Participants came from eight countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, the DR Congo, Namibia and Seychelles.