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Angela Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
King KG/Khulu Gatsheni (real name Mthulisi Ndlovu), a prominent poet, author and publisher is determined to transform his life and set an example for young people in rural areas as he continues to expand his influence and gain international attention.

The 26-year-old artiste who grew up in the rural village of Somnene is the founder of Ubuntu/Botho Afro Publishers, a book publishing company in Bulawayo that focuses on producing academic and non-academic books in minority indigenous languages such as Kalanga, Tonga, Venda and IsiNdebele among others.

Last year, he was honoured with the African Honouree Authors Award 2021 for his contribution to the national and global literary sector during the Global African Authors Awards which were held in South Africa in November.

Now based in Poland, the artiste who hails from Plumtree is known for his record-breaking and award-winning book titled Ubuntu (the raw truth unravelled) which is a single English poem that covers 51 pages which has been said to be the longest poetical mediation around the subject of Ubuntu.

In an interview, King KG said his writing career started during his teenage days with some of his poems that he wrote while in high school now being used for O-level literature.

“I started writing at the age of 17 and as I was doing my Lower Six, I wrote a collection of poems which were later selected for the current Zimsec Ndebele literature set book called Izinkondlo ezinhlobonhlobo,” he said.

The encouragement and feedback that he got for his pieces of work from peers led to one of the finest achievements when in 2017, King KG published Ubuntu Nqabanqo, an 18-page epic Ndebele poem that was edited by the illustrious Pathisa Nyathi and is cited as the longest published poem in Ndebele.

Like many achievers, King KG has managed to shape his career and build a name for himself through the help and support of other renowned local authors who are also a part of the Ubuntu Publishers team.

“Our team consists of award-winning literary giants who include international award-winning poet and writer Philani Nyoni who is the chief editor, Nobuhle Sibanda, Naison Tfwala and renowned journalist Thokozile Mbedzi,” he said.

Ndlovu also said Ubuntu Afro Publishers’ establishment was motivated by the need to revive cultural pride, preserve indigenous languages and promote diverse local cultures across communities.

“We find value in our indigenous languages and believe they are equally important just like all international languages. As Africans, it is also of profound importance to value our norms and cultural values as encoded and embedded in our local languages,” he said.

Apart from poetry, King KG has aspirations in politics and policymaking.

“I moved to Poland to further my studies in International Relations, I have a great passion for politics and policymaking,” he said.

The international award-winning poet said he uses his artistic work to preach the gospel of humanity.

“I believe that saving and serving humanity is the greatest reason why God created and embraced human diversity in terms of socioeconomic and socio-political stratification.

“Those with means must seek to reach out to those without the success or privilege to do so on their own and by so doing, we would have nailed the original plan of creation and paramount obligations of human nature,” he said.

A former student of Fairview Primary School in Plumtree, Mthulisi Ndlovu did his high school in Luveve High in Bulawayo.

He completed his A-level in 2015 before deciding to permanently focus on his writing career.