Zanzibar Daima Publishing (ZDP) is a self-publishing online platform established in 2016 for the sole purpose of getting Swahili literature online. The platform was established to give the author and other Swahili raising writers a place to have their works known worldwide.
So far, almost 15 books have been published through this platform. All of these books are available online through Amazon and Lulu.com in both versions – paperpack and electronic, and some of them are already republished in East Africa, especially in Zanzibar.
The idea of establishing the ZDP came after more than two decades of what I describe as a self-torture in which my manuscripts with poems and short stories were stocking in my files, but there was no publisher who was ready to publish them.
Traditional publishers are businesspeople whose basic principle is to make money out of their works and not to get knowledge out to the audience. As an underground poet and writer, I saw how bad the experience was. And once I won my firt international prize for the Poem Manuscript of N’na Kwetu in 2015, I was introduced to this new way of getting my books published. In May 2016, I started the journey of being a self-publisher and ever since, I have invited and attracted many underground writers to follow the way.
These are some books that have been published so far using the ZDP platform:
- Andamo: Msafiri Safarini
- Siwachi Kusema: Uhuru U Kifungoni
- Kalamu ya Mapinduzi: Mapambano Yanaendelea
- N’na Kwetu: Msafiri Safarini
- Machozi Yamenishiya: Diwani ya Mohammed Ghassani
- Mfalme Ana Pembe
- Mja wa Laana
- Tafrani: Tamtiliya ya Vita baina ya Ukale na Usasa
- Dhahiri ya Siri
- Pemba: Muhanga wa Siasa
- Kurasa Mpya
- Changi N’Kuchangizana
- La Kuvunda
- Diwani ya Tungo Twiti
- Kilio cha Usumbufu
Mohammed Ghassani 