Jack Mapanje

Is case active: Yes

Designation:Poet

Country:Malawi

Region:Sub-Saharan Africa

Gender:Male

Status:Displaced/In Exile

Mapanje, Malawi’s only internationally known poet, was detained without charge in September 1987, likely because of his first collection of poetry, Of Chameleons and Gods, published in 1981 but was subsequently banned, which the Malawian government deemed to be critical of then president Hastings Banda. During his imprisonment, Mapanje wrote two more poetry collections. He was released in May 1991, and now lives in exile in York, England.