Runyankore
Jedidiah Mugarura
'Ngaha' akagira ati, 'Obusingye tibwine endagaano'
Kandi enjegyere zisibirwe aha mutuuzi ow'ekirwa kya Robben.
'Ngaha' akagira ati, 'Okwetegyereza nokushogoka kw'obutasigara enyima'-
Gahutaire, kwonka tigatinire, amaisho g'omuhara wa Pakistani.
'Ngaha' akagira ati, 'Okwikiriza tikukugyemwa'-
Iraka ryomusibe, ricurire, kwonka rihamire omuri Dapchi,
Orumuri rwe, n'ruguma n'rwaka omu'ryaya ry'empungye.
Mbwenu, obutoosha, iraka ry'empungurano rigaruka -
Mandela, Malala, Leah Sharibu - orumuri rwa
'Ngaha, Prometheus akagira ati,' omuriro na n'ekyeshongoro,
Ashanga enkagamwase, omuriro gwamaani gwayaka omuri
Chibok na Dapchi, hagaruka okwangashana kwensi.
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Read the English translation – Mandela Comes to Leah by Prof. Wole Soyinka
Jedidiah Mugarura is a storyteller from Kampala, Uganda currently based in Tkaronto, a traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. He recently earned his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Guelph. His poems appear in Contemporary Verse 2, Brittle Paper and Humber Literary Review. You can read his short story, 'Can I Show You Magic?' in issue 5 of Lolwe. 'Special Boy' is his lastest short fiction out in Transition. He tells stories of his home country Uganda and Africa.
Translators' Note: Special thanks to Jane Kyarisiima, Pison Nyinomujuni, who continue to show me the dance of Runyankore, and Gervase Ndyanabo who gifted me two editions of the Runyankore – Rukiga – English Dictionary.
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