Kabore's government signed in a new electoral code this past August. The "extraordinary circumstances" code allowed for presidential and legislative elections to go ahead even if several polling stations cannot open. Opposition parties were dissatisfied by parliament invoking the new code and pledged an unofficial alliance as part of efforts to unseat Kabore in the elections. The change to the electoral code benefits Kabore's political party which has strong support from voters in areas that aren't affected by the violence, including Ouagadougou.
Kabore is, expected to win the election for a second presidential term. His main opposition are Zephirin Diabre, a former finance minister, and Eddie Komboigo, a candidate from the former ruling party. Results are expected to be in by the end of this week.
We spoke with the Ugandan author, activist, and lawyer about his tumultuous relationship with a governing body that has no interest in maintaining law and order.
In his 33 years on Earth, Ugandan novelist, lawyer, and activist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has not known a safe and fair homeland. Born two years after current Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni began his reign of terror in 1986, Rukirabashaija has spent most of his professional career trying to get people to take a real look at the dictator and his actions. The author’s first stab at an expose came in 2020, with the release of The Greedy Barbarian, a fictional recount of the highly-corrupt ruling National Resistance Party and the impossibly illegal things they got away with. The party then, under the instructions of Museveni, ordered the arrest of Rukirabashaija – and the toxic, biased tango began.
Rukirabashaija then narrated his ordeal and published his second work, Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous. The book landed the activist in hot water, again. One day after publishing his second book of 2020, Rukirabashaija was again detained. His most recent and traumatic interaction with the Ugandan legal system was in December last year when he was detained and, according to Rukirabashaija, tortured for two weeks after posting a series of demeaning tweets against the President's son. He was then ordered to surrender his passport to the courts. After seeking medical treatment and being referred to Germany and the US, Rukirabashaija requested his passport back but was denied. The writer then fled to Europe, where he is now, in a last-ditch effort to save his life.
We spoke with the valiant writer where he sits safely in European territories about the power and importance of writing, wreaking havoc on government officials who have overstayed their welcome, and why international leaders should readjust their alliances.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
You’ve written about the ways in which the Ugandan government has abused and mistreated their citizens – and you. How did your journey to becoming an author begin? Why did you decide to write?
Our responsibility as writers is to mirror whatever mess is going on in our society. You cannot be a writer and exist in a society that is full of shit, and also be comfortable in that shit. You have to do something about it - using literature. There's a saying that goes, “it is through fiction that writers tell the truth”. So, my first book was fiction – The Greedy Barbarian. It reflected whatever mess Uganda was in, or has been in for decades.
When I published it, Mr. (Yoweri) Museveni interested himself in my works. He came for me. Not in a legal way, but in a draconian manner. I was tortured and dehumanized. I spent a month in detention and when I came out, after healing, I sat down and wrote another book. This time around, it was not fiction – I narrated everything that I went through in a torture chamber.
I started writing it in May 2020 [after my release], and it was completed in June of the same year. I published it on 17th September 2020, and on 18th September I was arrested again. For writing about whatever I went through. I spent about three days in illegal detention and was released after being charged with “inciting violence and promoting sectarianism.” My most recent arrest happened on December 28th, last year. I made unflattering tweets about the dictatorship, the president, and his stupid son. They came for me again, but, this time around, it was worse. As a result, I’m currently in exile.
Do you feel that you have the support of your fellow Ugandans?
Not all Ugandans. Muhoozi (Kainerugaba), the president's son, is a Ugandan. The regime supporters, the ones who are gaslighting, they're also Ugandans. However, there's a section of Ugandans that really, really understand, and I've received enormous support. Not only in Uganda but international support, too. The organization PEN International has really supported me a lot, and very many other organizations and media houses. They have advocated for my release and put out my cause for the whole world to see. So, I've received a lot of support.
And now with you being in exile, what do you hope to do next?
I'll continue writing. I also have plans to obtain my Ph.D. in December or January 2023. I am unstoppable. The president and his son created hell. Truly. And I crept out of that hell, and am becoming hell for them. So, they will have to feel the heat.
How do we as Africans get to this point so often with our leaders? How do these people stay in power for so long?
We allow them to overstay. If we spoke to them, they wouldn't grow into superpowers.
And they get into this mentality where they forget that it's a job, and not a birthright.
Yes – they think it’s a hereditament. A Royal hereditament. And the mere fact that we allow them to continue oppressing us, and that it all happens on our watch, right in front of our eyes. They continue to silence intelligent people so that their stupidity continues to flourish.
How would you rate the way in which the Ugandan media handles the presidency?
Ugandan media is censored, of course. They also fear [the consequences], and I cannot blame them. They also fear losing their license. It is just a matter of a phone call to the Ugandan Communication Commission, to not renew licenses for a certain media house. It happens. So yeah, I cannot blame them. They are also oppressed. They are encapsulated in the operation.
I've seen online that there's been a warrant put out for your arrest from Uganda, but you're in exile. You explained on Twitter that because you are abroad, there is no way that could be fulfilled. Could you help us understand that better?
That arrest warrant is sheer foolishness. A functioning judicial system would not allow such things to happen.
First of all, I'm in exile because of a failed legal system. I was in illegal detention and tortured for two weeks. I was actually smuggled to court and the magistrate who was supposed to observe my rights instead presided over illegalities. My lawyers appeared before the court and ordered that I be produced in court, dead or alive because our constitution says that a suspect is not supposed to be in detention for more than 48 hours (Chapter four; Article 23; 4. B). I was in detention for 14 days.
Our laws are very clear. Our domestic laws — especially Human Rights Enforcement Act, Anti-torture Act, International charters, and human rights charters — are all very clear. When a suspect raises an issue of human rights abuse, the magistrate or presiding judge is supposed to stall the proceedings, and first handle the human rights issues, as rated by the suspect.
So I was smuggled into court, oozing pus from different parts of my body. Every joint was swollen, and the magistrate failed to acknowledge it or ensure that I had legal representation. They smuggled me into court without informing anyone. Instead of staying the proceedings as the law requires, instead of observing my rights, he instead remanded me to prison where I spent 14 days.
Can you imagine a judicial officer, who is supposed to dispense justice with utmost impartiality, doing such a thing? He was supposed to protect me, protect my rights, but he didn't do that. So I went to prison and when I was given bail, it was on the condition that I don't speak about my torture. It was on condition that I submit my passport in court – and I did. I didn't talk about my torture, at first.
I went to the best hospital in Uganda to get tests and they referred me to Germany for extensive medical care. When I tabled my medical report to court to ask for my passport, the foolish magistrate refused to give me back my passport. And that’s when I lost patience and started blowing off steam. How could he do that? That’s why I fled the country. I could not continue being subjected to such illegalities all the time. Amazingly, I reached Germany without a passport.
Rukirabashaija's first novel 'The Greedy Barbarian' a satirical fictional depiction of a corrupt government regime.
Photo by KATUMBA BADRU SULTAN/AFP via Getty Images
How beautiful to know that through all of that, there are people who are committed to keeping you safe.
I'm surrounded by people who care about me. The Ugandan government, which is supposed to care about me, protect me, and ensure that my rights are observed, is the same government that is subjecting me to continuous oppression and political persecution. I was not born to keep quiet on such issues. You cannot torture me, cook me right, left, and center, and not expect anything. I'm supposed to speak out.
How has your family back in Uganda been affected?
They will be fine. My family will be fine. I'm alone in Europe now, but I’m looking for ways of relocating my family to safety.
Have they had any issues in Uganda?
I can't know. You can’t know when the devil is making plans.
Kakwenza, what do you wish to see more of in the media, with regards to Uganda and the injustices the country is colored with?
It hurts to see countries like the USA, UK, European, and Schengen support them. I want to understand why people in such countries pay taxes, and such taxes are diverted to support terrorism in Uganda. What is happening is terrorism. Crimes against humanity, but such governments keep on supporting Museveni. I'm not saying that supporting another government is bad, but such support must be based on common values. So, what are the common values between the USA government and the Ugandan government? The common values must be at least respect for human rights, democracy, and rule of law – all such things are absent in Uganda. I really wonder what they base their continued support for Mr. Museveni on. I don't know why they keep wasting their money to support a terrorist, a cannibal.
You might wonder why I'm calling them cannibals. They used the pliers to pick the flesh from my thighs. What did they do with the flesh they picked from the thighs if they did not eat them? That is why I call them cannibals. I apologize for my language, but my anger is justified.
As Russia and Ukraine go into conflict with each other, thousands of African students have become displaced as their home embassies struggle to get them all out and to safety.
Eastern Europe is at war and the Russia and Ukraine conflict has taken center-stage in world affairs, progressing from benign, out-of-view diplomacy to open-field military attacks. Earlier this week, the world watched in shock and horror as Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an attack on the country of Ukraine. Russia invading Ukraine can be explained from many positions. And while an oversimplification of the issue can arise, it’s not inaccurate to point that Russia is going through these lengths to keep Ukraine out of NATO’s expansion agenda. Thousands of Ukrainian residents are now forced to flee their homes and leave their lives behind. On top of the stress of having to grab your life and go, is the added anxiety of being a foreigner in a country, seeking refugee amongst thousands. With little-to-no concrete communication or solutions from their respective embassies, thousands of African students are stranded in a war-torn Ukraine.
Civilian flights to Ukraine have been put on hold,. As Russia continues to get caught up in a post-Soviet unification pipe dream, taking a firm stand against the West, the implications on the rest of the world is becoming evident. Trying to navigate these tensions in Ukraine is an African diaspora community, ranging from students to migrant workers.
Through social media apps Twitter and WhatsApp, students are organizing themselves into groups according to the city they're in. The goal for many right now is to get out of Ukraine and in to one of the neighboring countries. Students are reporting a lot of anxiety over this move to the borders as some embassies have not communicated with their citizens whether or not they will be granted refugee status when there, and some fear being turned away. Many Africans have also reported spouts of anti-Black racism while trying to find shelter and survive.
The Government of Ghana is gravely concerned about the security and safety of our over 1000 students and other Ghanaians in Ukraine and has asked them to shelter in place in their homes or in government places of shelter, 1/2
Some African countries have expressed concern over the safety of their citizens in troubled regions. Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs via its Twitter account asked Ghanaian students to take shelter while they work out an evacuation. The Nigerian Embassy in Ukraine advised its nationals to remain calm, vigilant while also stating that they are responsible for their own safety and protection. While it’s true that evacuation of African students and nationals would prove difficult due to a shutdown of Ukrainian airspace, this state of affairs is showing the weakness of African consular relations, especially in times when it matters the most.
We spoke with several African students stranded in Ukraine as well as a member of Kenya's parliament to hear about the experiences of students, if they're getting any help on the ground, and plans to reach home safely.
AJ Bayero — a Nigerian medical student currently in Ternopil, Ukraine
"We thought the western side of the country was safe, but it seems like nowhere is safe in this country anymore. As of today in this city (Ternopil), we haven't had any problems. But the cities close to us are being blasted. Especially in the air spaces which have been hit in several places. It's more like a coordinated attack all around the country.
We've had multiple entries informing us that the city where we are living is on high red zone alert. So, there's a possibility of the city being hit today. We are not sure. There is a lot of anxiety and fear. People are panicking. Some are going to shelters. I can't believe it. Three days ago, nothing like this was here, but now everything suddenly changed. You can't even get money from the bank. There's no cash anymore. It's crazy. Taxi fair that's usually $2 is going for $20 now. It's crazy. I don't know how to explain it.
Nigeria's current response has been a little more soothing and has given hope to us students. Personally, I feel like we would've had better chances earlier. We're left behind -- some students are already stranded in other cities, and I'm not sure how the Nigerian government plans on getting them out. Moving students from city to city is going to be a headache. I don't know, personally, I feel they should've done things a lot earlier than this. Around here, people are thinking of moving across the border to either Romania, Czechoslovakia, or Poland. It's a dilemma for Nigerian students because we can get to the border but what do you have from your embassy that guarantees you can cross? You're going to a different country for which you need a visa. An EU country that is hard to get into, especially bearing a Nigerian passport. Imagine, we just walk to another country's border and say, 'Oh, I want to get in,' and you have nothing? I tried asking the officials on the Twitter Space to see if they could provide us with any tangible information, but it seems like there's nothing confirmed yet. So, anyone that's moving to this border is just going to go with their fingers crossed, praying that, 'Oh, I'll be let in,' but you don't have anything to back your movement into that country. It's hard. And it's cold. It's winter and Ukraine is one of the coldest places you could be in. It'll be heartbreaking to go to the border and get denied. All flights have been canceled — no planes are leaving or coming into this country. It will most likely be military planes.
So, the main question for Nigerian students is, 'Do we stay here and wait for something that we are not sure of when it's going to come?' And from the reputation of our country, I'm going to guarantee you that we have really less hope on the fact that any help is going to come anytime soon. Everybody is forced to fend for themselves. We had been asking the schools to put the classes online, but they didn't listen to us. They didn't do it on time. There is no money to fly home or any discounts. There's nothing. We pray and hope. Maybe they could do something, but it is what it is."
Vukile Dlamini — a medical student from Swaziland, living in Vinnytsia, Ukraine
Pray for Ukraine\nWe would have loved to go back home,we can\u2019t,the airports are closed,we are evacuating from city to city and trying to leave the country on foot or by car. As foreigners in this country,we do not know what will happen next but God will never leave us,not now
"We're making plans together with other Swazis, South Africans, and Southern Africans to move from the different cities that we're in to go to Lviv and to find a way to go to Poland. We've started forming groups in the cities we're in so that we can get away, to the other side and get to the borders.
Swaziland doesn't have an embassy here in Ukraine but South Africa does. And they're helping us, together with Swaziland's ministry of foreign affairs. They're trying to get us all together and so far they have a list of our names. But some countries aren't stepping up, so the South African embassies are getting passport numbers from people from Angola, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and of course South Africa. We're happy with the response but it's scary being on this side of everything. They're doing the best they can."
Korrine Sky — a Zimbabwean second-year medical student in Dnipro, Ukraine
If there are any resources or help that can be offered to African students trying to leave Ukraine, please can you message me so I can formulate a thread or some information for my colleagues here, so we can help them.
— Koko \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Koko \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6)
1645692965
"Prior to the bombings, the atmosphere was very normal and peaceful. I was actually in Kyiv a few days before the attacks and it was business as usual. A lot of the African students here have been studying in Ukraine for several years and these rumors of war are a regular 'myth.' We often hear it but nothing ever happens and our universities had even reassured us that classes will continue and we should remain calm.
I realized there were a lot of people [who haven't from their embassies.] So I just started compiling resources, then I created a group chat so people here can stay in touch with one another. There is also a lot of fake news circling so we needed up-to-date information from people who are actually in Ukraine.
My efforts are really just to comfort the community here and have some sense of camaraderie because as of right now, we only have each other.
The majority of the African diaspora community here in Ukraine are from Nigeria. I have witnessed interactions between the people here and the embassy and it’s honestly appalling. We as a community have managed to do more for one another than the embassies, and it just leaves people feeling let down.”
Honorable Zuleikha Hassan — A member of Kenya's parliament
"Many students are still in difficult circumstances. Some are still at the border -- some having had to walk 10 hours or to the border. We thank God a good number have crossed the Poland border thanks to the Kenyan Foreign Ministry. Some are at shelters and others have found volunteers to house them. Those in Poland have received 15-day visas, and are expected to leave the country by then. I was made aware of this issue by my niece, who had former schoolmates trapped in the bombings.
We started communicating with some students and learned that they were hiding in their hostels, with little or no water and food. They also couldn't use their Kenyan ATM cards as banks were only accepting Ukrainian cards. At the time there were no trains, planes, or cars as there was heavy traffic as many residents left the cities that were being attacked. With their parent's permission, we started making suggestions to the students on how to try and leave safely, as time was not on their side. The students were also great at assessing their situations, making group decisions, and moving together. On Friday, many started moving, with the majority being in cities closer to the Polish border. Eventually, they decided to walk for hours instead of waiting for transport. Once you get to the border, though, there are very long lines to contend with.
There were a group of five girls in Kyiv that we were most worried about. They were asked to carry light luggage, important documents, snacks, and water -- and advised to were sports shoes in case they had to walk for hours. Upon leaving their hostel on Friday morning, they found an American journalist who got on a train out of Kyiv, and he advised the girls to wait at any train or bus station for free transport by the Ukrainian government. They managed to get on a 2:30 AM train, but they reported extreme pushing and shoving as many people were trying to board. They lost all of their food in the process, but, at least all of the girls made it onto the train. The trip from Kyiv to Lviv was to take around six hours, but it ended up taking 10 as on two occasions they had to make diversions, as the railway lines had been bombed.
The girls reached Lviv safely and have joined another group of Kenyan students. However, due to heavy fighting on the outskirts of Lviv, the group decided to walk to the Polish border. The group of 13 took private transport and were dropped off 13km (8 miles) away from the border. The students walked from 3:30 pm EAT to around midnight.
We have also heard of Kenyan students in Sumy, a city that was under attack by Russian soldiers. We are yet to establish contact with them.
African students are facing blatant racism at the border. There is a hierarchy of crossing: White women and children, white men, followed by African women, and then African men."
*video showing the congestion at the Rawa Ruska, Poland border from Omar Suleiman, one of the 39 Kenyan students from Ternopil
Eldred — a Nigerian student studying science in Kharkiv, Ukraine
No train since yet. We\u2019re still out here though.. #UkraineRussia #UkraineConflictpic.twitter.com/qfvgnBc4P1
"I'm in Kharkiv and it's quiet here for now. We are just in the basement of the house and we are waiting. So, maybe by tomorrow, we'll know what to do next. I'm keeping in contact with family back home in Nigeria and my friends, but the government's response? I don't know. Seriously. I just don't know. We haven't heard any other news. The last letter I saw from the Nigerian Embassy, they said we should get cover for our safety, so that's what we're doing. We don't know about tomorrow, so that's what we're doing. No one has reached out. My friends in other cities like Kyiv, and Dnipro, are all just indoors. Just indoors and hoping something happens. We just pray."
Mohammed — a medical student from South Africa living in Dnipro, Ukraine
"There are about seven of us, here in Dnipro. It's calm at the moment, but when we constantly see how Kyiv, Kharkiv, and all the other nearby states are being constantly bombarded, we do feel threatened. And we do feel like it's just a matter of time before it might happen to us as well in Dnipro. And the fear that we have is... It's an experience I've never felt in my life before this. So, it's hectic, I could say. We are on a group chat with the (South African) ambassador. Most of us are still here because finding transportation has been really difficult. All the roads are blocked, and as well as that, it's very expensive for most of us. As soon as we can come up, we try but the tickets as sold out before we can even get them. The same with the trains as well. It's been very difficult for a lot of us. I do have friends that are in Kharkiv currently, and they're in bomb shelters as of now, and the same with Kyiv. They're also in bomb shelters and haven't left them for, I think, most of the day because there are constant bombings around them.
The South African embassy has given us support in the sense that they have sent all our names to the Polish borders so that when we get there, we can easily pass through. But, the problem with that is, How will we get to the Polish border at all? Because transportation is so difficult to get to. So, we would love it if the South African government would get us those means. We are grateful that they put our names on the list because it helps us immensely. But we need transportation to get us there. And as well as, if we get there, it's a 14-day visa. And after 14 days, is South Africa going to supply a plane to take us home? Because the prices are going to be dramatically high, and as a student, it's difficult to afford, for most of us. It's very difficult.
I'm in contact with my family back home and of course they're worried. They want me to stay at my apartment for now, because the worst place to be is on the street — but at the same time, you don't want to be at home incase they just attack here as well. Even though Dnipro is currently, I think, one of the safest cities in Ukraine. Either way, it's a risk. We just have to hope for the best. I'm hoping that things calm down, and then, I will leave as soon as I can. But we're also hoping that the government can help us."
Chirrime's latest exhibition, Rituals for Soul Search embodies the artist's desire to bring audience members closer to nature, the Universe, and their souls.
In our 'Spotlight' series, we highlight the work of photographers, visual artists, multimedia artists, and more who are producing vibrant, original work.
In our latest piece, we spotlight Mozambican textile artist, Lizette Chirrime. The self-taught multidisciplinary artist channels her trauma and longing to be whole through her artwork. "These abstract forms evoke the human body and my identity-responsive practice where I refashion my self-image and transcend a painful upbringing that left me shattered and broken. I literally ‘re-stitched’ myself together. These liberated ‘souls’ are depicted ‘dancing’ on the canvas, bringing to mind, well-dressed African women celebrating", Chirrime says in her own words. The artist uses her creations to communicate the beauty in simplicity, and the divinity of being African.
We spoke with the Chirrime about accidentally finding her medium of choice, using color to express emotions, and focusing your energy on being awesome.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Describe your background as an artist and the journey you've taken to get it to where it is today.
When I started, I had no idea that I was an artist. I loved to create beautiful environments wherever I went, and when people noticed, they began giving me that title. I was using techniques that deviated from what was common at the time, particularly working with recycled materials, which I think situated me as a creative within my communities.
What are the central themes in your work?
Womanhood, Mother Earth, love, awesomeness, and spirituality.
How did you decide on using textiles to express your art?
It all started when I began working with hessian fabric, mainly, deciding to change the way it was treated in many houses. I gave it more life and a better look, and when the healing was done, I moved on to colorful fabrics in search of joy and life.
In the early 2000s, I began working with scrap materials, having been compelled to create a doll from textiles one evening. I fell in love with the medium and haven’t stopped creating since, though the way in which I utilize textiles continues to evolve.
Can you talk about your use of colors and symbolism in your art?
I use the colors I do — shades of red, blue, and green — because they remind me of beauty. They’re the vehicles I use to both express my feelings and describe certain narratives behind my expression. Symbolically, I look to nature for inspiration and translate the environment around me into symbols within my pieces. Looking to nature helps to find one’s place within the universe, and I want to help people see the value in slowness and simplicity. I hope that my work helps people appreciate how miraculous our planet is and inspires them to heal the earth from destruction.
How has the pandemic affected you creatively?
I relocated to Mozambique during the pandemic, after living in South Africa for many years, and have felt an incredible shift in my capacity to be present. Being removed from a city and with a slower pace of life, I’ve been able to reconnect with myself and have a direct conversation with my spirit and soul, which directly feeds into my work and the current ideas which I’m exploring.
Luckily, I didn’t feel very affected by the pandemic because I’ve had a few sponsors and continued to sell my artwork through that time. Though I didn’t sell as much as I did prior, I still managed to pay my bills, eat and create — I’m thankful to have met my needs as an artist.
We met up with Mmuso Potsane and Maxwell Boko, the duo behind South African brand Mmuso Maxwell. We spoke about their upbringing, winning the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, and more.
After a two year internship with veteran South African designer David Tlale, Mmuso Maxwell was born. The brand, founded by the young duo Mmuso Potsane and Maxwell Boko, has since established a name for themselves in the African fashion industry. With successful works with A-list artists like Beyoncé — on her Black is King album — they continue to set the bar on what it means to be a successful emerging designer brand.
The duo first started to make noise in 2017, when they won the South Africa’s Fashion Week’s Sunglass Hut New Talent Search. Two years later, they came second at the 30 Under 30: The New Stars Arise Fashion Show competition held in Lagos, Nigeria. The duo walked home with $50,000, helping them establish their presence on a global landscape.
Last month, Potsane and Boko won the biggest award of their career: beating out 200 designers throughout the world, they took home the The Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, after presenting a Merino wool collection for their Autumn/Winter 2022 line.
After their big win, OkayAfrica was able to meet up with the duo and chat about their upbringing, winning the Lagerfeld Award, and more.
Maxwell Boko: I think that the perfect description of our brand is that it is inspired by African heritage, but, the most important part is that it is mixed with contemporary culture. It’s basically our point of view of our heritage. We’re modern young people who are living with technology and science, and are influenced by those things. So even if it’s still our African heritage, it’s still our own interpretation.
Mmuso Potsane: Our brand is a modern interpretation of who an African woman is. Our brand sees itself as a global brand, and we do not want to limit it to look like an ordinary African brand, but it is positioned to be like a global brand, while maintaining our African roots, interpretations and experiences.
How did the collaboration between the both of you start?
Potsane: We met during the internship from 2015-2017. At the end of the internship, we decided to bring our pieces together to make one collection because we had similar aesthetics. From there, we just decided to continue onwards as a brand.
That’s interesting. You know, the fashion industry can most times be more competition than collaboration. How are you navigating the times you might have contrasting ideas?
Boko: I think that the reason why we joined forces together is because we had similar tastes in general. What has worked for us over the five years is that we’re not dramatic about our approach to things. It’s not “this or nothing." We’re always open to each other's critiques. We also do not question our individual strengths at all.
Potsane: Yeah, we’ve sort of found a way to agree to disagree. We have somehow found a way to come together to have one vision and objection. So for us, if any of us feels strongly about something, we just give it a chance to see how it plays out. If it doesn’t, we find a way to navigate it.
Saul Nash, winner of the International Woolmark Prize, and Mmuso Potsane and Maxwell Boko of Mmuso Maxwell, winners of the Karl Lagerfeld Award for Innovation, celebrate with models wearing their designs.
Photo Credit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Woolmark International Pty Ltd
How about winning the Woolmark Karl Lagerfeld Innovation Award? How did that happen?
Boko: I mean, we applied, even though I said to Mmuso that Woolmark is something that’ll happen to us, maybe two, three years down the line, and that’s because it’s generally for established designers. I always figured that it’ll happen at a later date for us. So when they reached us to inform us that we were finalists, I thought, “that’s crazy.”
When I saw the other finalists, I thought that there was no chance to win; But as we progressed in the program, I saw why it was the right time for us. It helped us as a brand in terms of making our products. The eight months were very challenging, but the thing that I enjoyed the most was working with local artisans. I think that it’s even one of the reasons we won.
And just on the side, I think it’s very hard for us to see from inside how much of a big deal winning the award is. It’s always our loyal people who help us see and understand it.
How has winning this prize influenced your brand? I mean, how important do you think platforms like this are?
Potsane: I think it’s important because it allows you access to spaces in the industry that are very out of reach for a lot of African brands. It influences and helps us to think more/differently, and just on that level, play by the rules. You’re no longer thinking locally, but internationally. It’s made us more serious about our business and how to run it. People take your work more seriously, so that makes you take it more seriously too.
In terms of funding, it’s something that’s been a struggle. I mean, as a designer, you have to showcase your work and that requires a lot of money for stuff like shows, showrooms, and so on. With the help that we’re getting from the people like Birimian — some sort of investment group for African brands — it helps you ease the stress this induces.
And what are some of the challenges you’ve faced during this? Are there ways you’re now navigating it?
Boko: When we started our brand, there was no initial capital for us to start our brand. But we got a little support, and that made our next challenge be sustaining our coming collections; but recently, our major challenge has been fabric sourcing and production. There are no facilities to produce the quality we aspire to.
Potsane: To navigate these challenges, we really just go with it one step at a time, and also speak with those who can assist with things like this, such as Birimian. In terms of production, we have to come to a compromise to ensure getting the quality we want.
You're a sustainable brand. What are some of the practices you’re doing that makes it sustainable?
Potsane: We utilize local crafts and local artisans. It’s something we’ve always been passionate about since we started our brand. We use homegrown yarns for production, and working with artisans makes us follow the route of slow fashion.
Boko: We’ve always had an affinity for natural fibers since we started. As an African creative, you’re inherently sustainable because we’re not prone to waste. It’s not something we can afford. When we buy fabrics, we buy exactly what we need, and all the things we’ve done so far have been in pre-orders. We do not produce with hopes that someone will buy what we’ve made. All pieces go to our clients.
Are there creatives that inspire the work that you do?
Potsane: The people that inspire our brand, we already currently work with. So people like Tatenda Chidora, a photographer. We also love Tony Gum. She’s an amazing artist. Same as Chloe Andrea and Daniel Obasi. We totally love these people, and are highly inspired by them.
