Geraldine Sinyuy Interviews Pelekani Lwenje, a Young Zamabian Writer Whose Only Hope Lies in a Fruitful Writing Career

Geraldine Sinyuy: Hello Pelekani. It’s a pleasure having an interview with you today. Can you please tell us about yourself?
Pelekani Lwenje: My name is Pelekani Lwenje. I was born on 26 September 1979. I am a Zambian. 

Geraldine Sinyuy: Thank you Pelekani.  What inspired you to become a writer?
Pelekani Lwenje: From the moment I stepped into the school library when I was about ten years old and saw all the many types of books, I was hooked. I immediately wanted to be lost into their worlds. I was not only fascinated by them but also by the authors. The authors quickly became my heroes and I began dreaming of one day being just like them. I just love telling stories. It's a gift.

Geraldine Sinyuy: I can relate with your fascination by books because I was fascinated by books in that same manner. I was a member of the British Council Library in my home town and I used to get lost in books. Books are a wonder. Alright, at what age did you start writing and what was the easiest genre for you at that time?
Pelekani Lwenje: I started writing creatively around the age of eleven but it got a bit serious at the age of thirteen. When I was bored, I would convert an entire comic book into a novel. Turning the art into words. My stories were always, and still are, fantastical. Science fiction and fantasy or a fusion of both are easily my most comfortable genes. I always try to be different and I'm constantly inspired by things around me and what I see. Dogs staring at a dead lizard for example will inspire me to write a dog story. My imagination never stops.

Geraldine Sinyuy: That’s quite a world on its own. At what time of the day do you find more inspiration and energy to write?
Pelekani Lwenje: That's tricky. It happens any time. Sometimes an idea will come to me suddenly and then I'll spend a few days planning out everything in mind like a movie and then eventually start writing down notes before I begin typing on my phone.

Geraldine Sinyuy: How do you manage social media distractions and the writing career?
Pelekani Lwenje: I'm not always online but when I'm on social platforms I follow writing groups. Sometimes they can be helpful.

Geraldine Sinyuy: Can you describe what your writing workspace looks like?
Pelekani Lwenje: Well, it's just a bunch of written notes and plot details on paper and my phone since I don't have a typewriter.

Geraldine Sinyuy: I understand that apart from being a writer, you still have other responsibilities. Can you share with me how you manage to successfully navigate through all these responsibilities and still have time for writing?
Pelekani Lwenje: I'm currently unemployed. A situation which has caused friction with my family given my age. I try my best to block out the noise of hate from my family. Once I find a job, I will not allow it to disrupt my writing.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  I pray for that you will soon find a job. According to your context, what is the most trending issue in present day literature as far as human rights are concerned? 
Pelekani Lwenje: I think the issue of women empowerment. Same sex topics may be controversial in Zambia but I also feel they are relevant topics and literature can play a huge role in enhancing the mindset.

Geraldine Sinyuy: Can you tell us which of your works brought you to the lime light of the literary circle?
Pelekani Lwenje: I wrote a poem for an anthology book celebrating the life and legacy of the late Dr Kenneth Kaunda. My poem was entitled "My Other Father" The second book was an anthology of short stories called "M'zimu Wachikondi and Other Short Stories." My story was a fusion of science fiction and fantasy. It explored a futuristic dystopia where tradition was being consumed by modernity, and how a mythical god was gathering resistance through a young woman and her illegal pregnancy.

Geraldine Sinyuy:  Your titles are very inviting. I hope to that I can have the opportunity to read some of your works. Can you tell us where we can find any of your books?
Pelekani Lwenje: The books area available in most Zambian book stores and also on Amazon. They are my first publications and even though I never received any royalties the exposure and recognition via certificates is most welcome. I am hoping to launch a proper writing career.

Geraldine Sinyuy: What is the most important lesson you've learned in your career as a writer?
Pelekani Lwenje: I still have a lot of room to grow and perfect my skill and I also need to protect my copyright in the future. Those books were consolation prizes for writing competitions I had entered.

Geraldine Sinyuy: It is said that a writer is the voice of the voiceless, have you written any piece of work that calls for any kind of justice in a sense? If yes, what was it?
Pelekani Lwenje: The closest I have written was a small letter that tried to bring awareness to LGBTQ issues. As of yet no.

Geraldine Sinyuy: What advice will you give a young aspiring writer?
Pelekani Lwenje: I would advise them to never give up. Many people will be obstacles and reckless activities could ruin them. They should love what they do. Writing can be so much fun, especially when your passion is deep.

Geraldine Sinyuy: How does your community receive human rights related literary and artistic works?
Pelekani Lwenje: I can't answer that for sure but my article on LGBTQ issues was met with a lot of negativity.

Geraldine Sinyuy: Have you ever felt threatened in any way due to the kind of writing you produce? 
Pelekani Lwenje: When it comes to my stories, I'm pretty much safe but I fear for the other topics because sometimes Zambia scares me.

Geraldine Sinyuy: What else do you want to share with us?
Pelekani Lwenje: I just want to have opportunity and sponsorship to give my stories a chance to expose myself and to put Zambia on the map as a literature power house. 

Geraldine Sinyuy: Thank you so much for your time and insightful responses. We hope to have you back here again in the future, hopefully with more success stories. 

Pelekani Lwenje was born on 26 September 1979 in Zambian. He is an aspiring writer of all types of genres. He has been published twice. Several of his children's short stories have also been published in an online magazine called "Writers Space Africa."  He is currently working on a long time novel and a collection of imaginative children's stories. Two anthology books launched in 2025 featured his contributions—one a poem and the other a short story. His passion has always been storytelling and he’s hoping to make a comfortable living from it as life has dealt him with plenty of challenges. His email is pelekani26@gmail.com . His WhatsApp line is +260964042786