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Gado (comics)

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Portrait of Godfrey Mwampembwa

Godfrey Mwampembwa, pen name Gado (1969) is a Tanzanian-born political cartoonist, animator and comics artist.[1][2] He is the most syndicated political cartoonist in East and Central Africa, and for over two decades a contributor for Daily Nation (Kenya), The Standard (Kenya), New African (United Kingdom), Courrier International (France) as well as for Business Day and Sunday Tribune (both South Africa). He also produced cartoons for The East African, Le Monde, The Washington Times, Der Standard and Japan Times.[3]

He served as an editorial cartoonist at the Daily Nation[4] until he was fired in March 2016.[5][6]

Early life and education

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Godfrey Mwampembwa, or Gado as he is popularly known, was born on August 6th, 1969, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.[7]

Gado joined the Ardhi Institute in Dar es Salaam in 1991 to study architecture. After a year, he left the institute to become the Nation Media Group cartoonist and illustrator.[8]

Between 1996 and 1997, he studied animation at Fabrica, a communication research centre in Treviso, Italy. Thereafter, in 2000, he studied classical animation and film making at the Vancouver Film School, graduating in 2001.[9]

Career

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Gado designs funny cartoons on local regional and international issues, which he clarifies the impact of social, political and cultural conflicts have on the individual. With great simplicity he brings brittle elements up without going to the essential humanity of these topics.[10]

Gado opposes political interference and is a local pioneer who explores his limits. He is an inspiration for other artists through its contribution to the democratization and the freedom of expression in eastern Africa. He is the most syndicated cartoonist in East and Central Africa.[10]

In 2009, together with Marie Lora-Mungai, Gado co-founded Buni Media, an independent non-profit media and production company[11] that is known for the XYZ TV show that Gado created and produced.[12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]

In 2016, the Nation Media Group, on whose publications Daily Nation and The East African Gado's cartoons had appeared for over two decades, refused to renew his contract over what appeared to be the result of blowback following the latter publication's suspension in Tanzania[20] after Gado's cartoon depicting then President Jakaya Kikwete in a compromising position surrounded by harems was published.[21][22][23] Gado then joined the Standard Group[24] where his editorial cartoons appeared in The Standard newspaper from 2016 through 2022.[25]

Awards

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In 1996 he was awarded the International Olympic Media Award for print media,[26] and in 1999 was Cartoonist of the Year Kenya.[27]

In 2007 he was awarded the Prince Claus Award of the Prince Claus Fund in the Netherlands for the theme Culture and conflict. The jury praised him for "his courageous cartoons, which he humorously shows aspects of social and political conflicts, and an inspiration to the struggle of free expression."[28][29]

Gado was one of 12 people who received the Visionaries Award in 2011 from the Ford Foundation.[30]

In 2014 and 2016, Gado was named as one of the 100 most influential people in Africa by The NewAfrican, Africa’s most influential magazine. Together with cartoonist Zunar from Malaysia, Gado received the Cartooning For Peace Award by Kofi Annan on World Press Day, May 3, 2016.[31]

Family life

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Gado is married to his wife Stephanie Uwingabe and, together, they have daughters Mwaji-Odeta and Keza-Anganile.[32][33][34]

Works

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References

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  1. ^ "Gado". lambiek.net. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  2. ^ "'A real culture of newspaper cartooning is developing across the region': Kenyan politicians under Gado's fierce pen". Le Monde.fr. 2022-06-16. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  3. ^ (in English)Emory Institute (26 February 2008) Editorial Cartoonist From Kenya to Visit Emory University
  4. ^ "Democracy Club Tuesday, February 1st 2005, 6 pm.[permanent dead link‍]." University of Westminster.
  5. ^ Kenyan cartoonist fired after mocking president, March 14, 2016 12:01AM The Times
  6. ^ "Kenya: Cartoonist dismissed from paper must be reinstated or compensated". The Mail & Guardian. 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  7. ^ Dahir, Abdi Latif (2020-05-01). "Tanzanian Cartoonist Has a Stick for Every Powerful Eye". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  8. ^ "Report From: Office of International Affairs". www.emory.edu. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Gado". lambiek.net. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  10. ^ a b (in English)Prins Claus Prijs (2007) Korte biografie Godfrey Mwampembwa Archived 2013-07-05 at archive.today
  11. ^ Ugwuede, Kay (2020-01-01). "My Life In Tech: Roger Gichuhi is where business and tech in Kenya meet". TechCabal. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  12. ^ "Puppets, Political Satire Popular on Kenyan TV". Voice of America. 2010-10-13. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  13. ^ Reinl, James. "Kenyan satire takes aim at 'corrupt leaders'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  14. ^ Vourlias, Christopher (2009-08-14). "Mwampembwa takes wit to TV". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  15. ^ "Kenyan TV's puppet satire takes on elections". France 24. 2013-02-27. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  16. ^ "Gado: Drawing political fire - CNN.com". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  17. ^ Mureithi, Carlos (2020-11-29). "In Kenya, a puppet TV show keeps building on the country's legacy of political satire". Quartz. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  18. ^ Rice, Xan (2009-11-22). "TV puppet satire torments Kenyan elite". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  19. ^ Callus, Paula (2014). "THE RISE OF KENYAN POLITICAL ANIMATION: TACTICS OF SUBVERSION" (PDF). ASA.
  20. ^ Telnaes, Ann; Attiah, Karen (2021-10-23). "| Tanzanian government shuts down The EastAfrican newspaper over a cartoon". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  21. ^ "Pencil blunted". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  22. ^ "Famed African Satirist Raises Alarm Over Kenyan Journalist Sackings". Voice of America. 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  23. ^ "The bold cartoon that got GADO fired by Nation Media - Business Today Kenya". 2016-03-14. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  24. ^ "Radical cartoonist Gado joins Standard - Business Today Kenya". 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  25. ^ "Gado". The Standard. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  26. ^ Wainaina, Binyavanga (2003). Kwani? 02. Kwani Archive Online. p. 158. ISBN 9789966983626.
  27. ^ Pilcher, Tim and Brad Brooks. (Foreword: Dave Gibbons). The Essential Guide to World Comics. Collins and Brown. 2005. 297.
  28. ^ "Godfrey Mwampembwa". Prince Claus Fund. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  29. ^ "Dutch courage and the art of governance". The East African. 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  30. ^ "Twelve social change visionaries are honored by the Ford Foundation". Ford Foundation. 2011-05-03. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  31. ^ Radoli, Lydia. "Celebrated Kenyan Cartoonist, Gado Wins the International Editorial Cartoons Prize". Mkenya Ujerumani. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  32. ^ "Godfrey Mwampembwa | Duke Forum for Scholars and Publics". Duke FSP. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  33. ^ "Gado, the political cartoonist who satirises Kenya's president". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  34. ^ Dahir, Abdi Latif (2020-05-01). "Tanzanian Cartoonist Has a Stick for Every Powerful Eye". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
  35. ^ Gado (1998). Abunuwasi (in Swahili). Sasa Sema Publications. ISBN 978-9966-9609-0-0.
  36. ^ Repetti, Massimo (1 June 2007). "African Wave: Specificity and Cosmopolitanism in African Comics". African Arts. 40 (2): 16–35. doi:10.1162/afar.2007.40.2.16. S2CID 57559148.
  37. ^ Gado (2000). Democrazy. Sasa Sema Publications. ISBN 978-9966-9609-5-5.
  38. ^ Gado (2006-01-01). The End of an Error, and the Beginning of a New One!. Sasa Sema Publications. ISBN 978-9966-951-36-6.
  39. ^ Mwampembwa, Godfrey; Annan, Kofi. Crisis...? What Crisis?!.
  40. ^ "AFRICANISM 101 – Buni Media". Retrieved 2024-01-15.
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