Famous Zimbabwean Writers

Vote for Your Favourite Zimbabwean Writers

This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

Danai Gurira

(Actress and Playwright)

Birthdate: February 14, 1978

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Grinnell, Iowa, United States

Danai Gurira is best known as Michonne from The Walking Dead and as Okoye from the Marvel films Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. She earned a Tony nomination for writing the Broadway play Eclipsed. She has been a UN Goodwill Ambassador and promotes arts and women empowerment.

Doris Lessing

(Novelist)

Birthdate: October 22, 1919

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Kermanshah, Iran

Died: November 17, 2013

Alexander McCall Smith

(British Writer Known for the Series of Novels ‘The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency’)

Birthdate: August 24, 1948

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Alexander McCall Smith is a British-Zimbabwean writer best known for his The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series of novels. A lawyer by qualification, he is a respected expert on medical law and bioethics. His books have sold over 40 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 46 languages. Also an amateur bassoonist, he co-founded The Really Terrible Orchestra.

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Zimbabwe

Tongayi Chirisa

(Actor)

Birthdate: August 8, 1981

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Harare, Zimbabwe

Tsitsi Dangarembga

(Novelist)

Birthdate: February 4, 1959

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Mutoko, Zimbabwe

Alexandra Fuller

(Author)

Birthdate: 1969 AD

Birthplace: Glossop, Derbyshire, England

Dambudzo Marechera

(Novelist)

Birthdate: June 4, 1952

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Rusape, Zimbabwe

Died: August 18, 1987

NoViolet Bulawayo

(Author)

Birthdate: December 10, 1981

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Tsholotsho, Zimbabwe

Petina Gappah

(Lawyer)

Birthdate: 1971 AD

Birthplace: Copperbelt Province, Zambia

Yvonne Vera

(Author)

Birthdate: September 19, 1964

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Died: April 7, 2005

Charles Mungoshi

(Writer)

Birthdate: December 2, 1947

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Zimbabwe

Died: February 16, 2019

Anne McClintock

(Writer)

Birthdate: August 27, 1954

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Harare, Zimbabwe

Chenjerai Hove

(Poet)

Birthdate: February 9, 1956

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Zvishavane, Zimbabwe

Died: July 12, 2015

Daniel Carney

(Novelist)

Birthdate: August 8, 1944

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon

Died: January 6, 1987

Daniel Carney was a Rhodesian novelist. Some of his novels, namely The Whispering Death (1969), The Wild Geese (1977), and The Square Circle (1982), were adapted into successful films. Daniel Carney is also credited with co-founding a couple of estate agents in Salisbury, Rhodesia, in 1968.

Heidi Holland

(Journalist)

Birthdate: October 6, 1947

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Johannesburg, South Africa

Died: August 11, 2012

Ronald Duncan

(British author)

Birthdate: August 6, 1914

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Mashonaland, Zimbabwe

Died: June 3, 1982

Solomon Mutswairo

(Novelist)

Birthdate: April 26, 1924

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Zimbabwe

Died: November 23, 2005

Catherine Buckle

(Writer)

Birthdate: 1957 AD

Birthplace: Harare, Zimbabwe

John Gordon Davis

(Writer)

Birthdate: January 21, 1936

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Enkeldoorn, Southern Rhodesia

Died: November 5, 2014

Ngugi wa Mirii

(Playwright)

Birthdate: 1951 AD

Birthplace: Limuru, Kenya

Died: May 3, 2008

Shimmer Chinodya

(Author)

Birthdate: 1957 AD

Birthplace: Gweru, Zimbabwe

Cont Mhlanga

(Zimbabwean Playwright, Actor and Theatre Director)

Birthdate: March 16, 1958

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Lupane, Zimbabwe

Died: August 1, 2022

Panashe Chigumadzi

(Journalist)

Birthdate: 1991 AD

Birthplace: Zimbabwe

Musaemura Zimunya

(Writer)

Birthdate: November 14, 1949

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Mutare, Zimbabwe

Masimba Musodza

(Writer)

Birthdate: March 29, 1976

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Harare, Zimbabwe

Novuyo Tshuma

(Writer)

Birthdate: January 28, 1988

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

David Mungoshi

(Novelist)

Birthdate: September 30, 1949

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Died: August 29, 2020

Elizabeth Mpofu

(Writer)

Birthdate: 1959 AD

Birthplace: Zimbabwe

Patricia Schonstein

(Novelist)

Birthdate: March 12, 1952

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe)

Sekai Nzenza

(Zimbabwean Author)

Birthdate: 1959 AD

Birthplace: Zimbabwe

While she initially trained as a nurse in England, Zimbabwean author and politician Sekai Nzenza then moved to Australia, where she completed her PhD. Known for her book Songs to an African Sunset, she has also been a columnist for The Herald and Zimbabwe’s Public Service Labor and Social Welfare Minister.

John Eppel

(Poet)

Birthdate: September 19, 1947

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Lydenburg, South Africa

Zodwa Nyoni

(Poet)

Birthdate: 1988 AD

Birthplace: Zimbabwe