Havoc of Choice
A story about family, politics and journeying through a fractured country in a delicate time, The Havoc of Choice explores the long reaching effects of colonisation and corruption within the context of a singular household and the disparate experiences of class and clan they encapsulate.
2007, Kenya. Long held captive by her father's shadow of corruption, Kavata has spent her life suffocated by political machinations. When her husband decides to run in the next election, these shadows threaten to consume her home. Unable to bear this darkness, Kavata plots to escape.
As her family falls apart, so too does her country. In the wake of Kenya's post-election turmoil, Kavata and her family must find their way back to each other across a landscape of wide-spread confusion, desperation, and heartrending loss.
One of the first pieces of long fiction from Kenya to explore its 2007 post-election violence (PEV) in such detail, The Havoc of Choice is a delicate and deeply personal attempt to understand the root of this spontaneous yet organised conflict and to figure out what healing looks like for the people of Kenya.
Wanjiru Koinange is a Kenyan writer, and a project manager of three of Africa Centre's programmes: Artists In Residency, Badilisha Poetry X-Change and Talking Heads. She obtained her undergraduate degree in journalism and literature from the United States International University after which she worked as a talent manager for some of East Africa's most renowned artists and musicians. During this time she was part of several teams that created a series of events and festivals that continue to shape Kenya's cultural landscape to-date.
She holds a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Cape Town, the product of which was her debut novel 'The Havoc of Choice'. She has also written for publications such as Chimurenga and Slipnet among others and has published works of fiction as well. She is also a co-founder of Book Bunk, a social impact firm that exists to restore old libraries and install new ones into public spaces in Nairobi - where Wanjiru is currently based.