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JENNIFER
NANSUBUGA
MAKUMBI
KINTU
Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Published by Oneworld

‘A multi-character epic that emphatically lives up to

its ambition.’
Sunday Times
Kintu, my first novel, is set in the historical events of 1750 Buganda Kingdom
and later in 2004, in modern Uganda. Kintu is the story of Kintu and his
descendants. In 1750 Kintu is a chief in Buganda Kingdom whose major problems
are successive, unpredictable kings and, at home, his twin wives. Until he
inadvertently kills Kalema, his adoptive son, while on a journey to the capital.
When he fails to inform Ntwire, the lad’s biological father, his servant and a
foreigner, Ntwire curses him and his descendants to live lives of suffering.
In 2004, his descendants, who seem to suffer from mental illnesses, come
together to try and break the curse. Through a family story, in Kintu I attempt
to explore the historical political and economic turmoil of Uganda.

I divided the novel into 6 sections. This allowed me to look a variety of Kintu’s
descendants, not just to explore how the curse affects them, but to use their
different perspectives to portray modern Uganda. The first book takes us back
to 1750 Buganda Kingdom and follows the misfortunes of Kintu, the patriarch.
This part allows me to showcase not only what Buganda looked like socially,
culturally, politically but also the physical landscape two and half centuries
ago, especially before colonisation. Then against this background, using four
of Kintu’s descendants, I explore not only how Ntwire’s curse manifests itself
in modern Uganda but also the social, cultural and political changes in modern
Uganda. Inevitably, the book invites you to
compare now to then. In the final book, I
collect all Kintu’s descendants together –
some of who are now Tanzanians because of
colonial borders – to return to their roots, to
try and undo the curse.

Kintu, inspired by my father’s mental illness,

came from the anxiety that his mental illness
was hereditary.
Questions and Prompts for Discussion

1. How does the novel hint at the possibility that within male privilege
could be repression?

2. In view of the fact that Uganda is considered one of the most homophobic
countries in the world, comment on attitudes of pre-colonial uganda
towards what is now perceived as deviant sexual behaviour?

3. How have Ugandans indigenised Christianity? Can you point out some
Ugandan aspects added to Christianity?

4. Can you compare Ganda pre-colonial attitudes towards sex to the

contemporary Ugandan ones?

5. The family is cursed. Is it a curse or is it just hereditary mental health?

6. Miisi thinks that we’re leaving in exciting times, there is no such thing
as fact anymore; is this true for you? Or, are these actually frightening
times for the same reason?

7. Can you talk about your favourite character?

8. Did you see Kampala the city? What did you see?

Recommended Further Reading

One Day I Will Write About this Place, Binyavanga Wainaina (Granta)
Looking for Transwonderland, Noo Saro-Wiwa (Granta)
We Need New Names, NoViolet Bulawayo (Vintage)
Season of the Shadow, Leonora Miano (Seagull Books)
Stay with Me, Ayobami Adebayo (Canongate)
Butterfly Fish, Irenosen Okojie (Jacaranda)
The Woman Next Door, Yewande Omotoso (Vintage)
Homegoing, Yaa Gyasi (Penguin)
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2019 WRITERS

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