nakisanze segawa

It is a time of upheaval in Buganda, an African kingdom on the verge of losing its independence. Anglican and Catholic missionaries are rapidly converting people to Christianity, in the process stirring conflict with their kinsmen who have embraced Islam. Three main characters – Nagawa, a young but unhappy bride to the king; Kalinda, a servant in the royal courts; and Reverend Clement, a Scottish missionary, are swept up in forces that will change their lives and reshape the future of their nation.

All too often, African history has been told by Westerners rather than Africans themselves. Ugandan writer Nakisanze Segawa helps correct the imbalance. Meticulously researched, her novel examines a critical moment in African history, and offers a surprising and fresh perspective on Africa in the days just before colonialism.

“…A masterful work. This epic story of palace intrigue and conflict seen through the eyes of three very different individuals, offers an unflinching view of a kingdom about fall to colonialism. Describing complex social changes set against Uganda’s overpoweringly beautiful landscape, Segawa describes how divisions within her own kingdom helped set the stage for a foreign take-over. In the process, she offers a nuanced view of the land that would become today’s Uganda.”(Christopher Conte, editor of “Crossroads: Women Coming of Age in Today’s Uganda”)

Nakisanze Segawa is a Ugandan writer and performance poet. Her poetry and short stories have been published by Jalada and Femrite. She is a contributor to the Daily Monitor newspaper in Kampala and to Global Press Journal. The Triangle is her first novel.