Ondjaki was born in Luanda in 1977 and is one of the most important Portuguese-language writers in Africa. He holds a doctorate in African studies. He has written poetry, short stories, books for children, novels, drama and film scripts. In 2014, he was among the 39 most promising writers under 40 from Africa, selected by the Hay Festival’s Africa39 project. Attending the Macondo Literary Festival marks his first visit to Nairobi.