Renowned scholar and Columbia University lecturer Mahmood Mamdani will launch his latest book, Slow Poison: Idi Amin, Yoweri Museveni, and the Making of the Ugandan State, at the Swahilipot Hub this Friday.

The Mombasa event marks the East African premiere of the book, which could not be launched in Uganda due to its sensitive content.

The work was first unveiled in the United States at Columbia University, attracting global attention from academics and policymakers.

Slow Poison provides a personal and historical account of Uganda’s post-independence political evolution, examining the legacies of Idi Amin and Yoweri Museveni.

Mamdani blends memoir and research, reflecting on his own experiences growing up under Amin’s regime and his journey as a leading African intellectual.

The launch will feature a reading by Mamdani, remarks from local scholars, and a Q&A session with attendees. Organizers say Mombasa was chosen for its reputation as a vibrant hub for culture, literature, and intellectual discourse in East Africa.