Dizzy Worms: The Last Orders at Harrods Trilogy

Kuwisha Trilogy #3

by Michael Holman

Charity Mupanga, the resilient and maternal proprietor of Harrods International Bar (and Nightspot) faces her toughest challenge in "Dizzy Worms", the final novel in Michael Holman's acclaimed trilogy set in the African slum of Kireba. Faced with a Health and Safety closure, Charity has a week to appeal and the chances of success seem negligible: elections are imminent, and Kireba is due to become a showcase of President Josiah Nduka's 'slum rehabilitation program', backed by gullible foreign donors. But before taking on Nduka and the council, she has a promise to keep - to provide a supply of her famous sweet doughballs to a small army of street children, as voracious as they are malodorous...Michael Holman uses his witty satirical pen to brilliant effect in this affectionate portrait of a troubled region, targeting local politicians, western diplomats, foreign donors and journalists, puncturing pretensions and questioning the philosophy of aid.

Genres: Africa

248 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2010

About the author

Michael Holman is a British journalist and writer. He was the Africa Editor of the Financial Times from 1984 to 2002 and has written several novels and an autobiography.
He was born in Penzance, Cornwall, but his parents emigrated to Southern Rhodesia when he was two. He was educated at Chaplin High School and studied English at University College of Rhodesia where he was awarded a BA in 1968.
Holman was the co-editor of Black & White, a satirical magazine. The publication was banned by the Rhodesian government and he was arrested in August 1968 and restricted to his home town of Gwelo under the Law & Order (Maintenance) Act. In August 1969 the order was extended for a further year.
He was granted an exit permit to attend the University of Edinburgh and was awarded an MSc in Politics in 1971. From 1972 he worked as a freelance journalist based in London. In 1977 he was appointed Africa correspondent for the Financial Times, based in Lusaka, Zambia and in 1984 he was promoted to Africa Editor.
In his late 30s, Holman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and has written on the experience of undergoing deep brain simulation surgery.

Reviews

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was third in a series until I was looking at the reviews. Stands alone as a cute story about AID workers and their relationship to a few locals - most predictably, the local bar owner.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dizzy Worms is the third book in the Kuwisha Trilogy by author Michael Holman. Once again set in the slum of Kireba in the East African nation of Kuwisha, it updates readers on the lives of their favourite bar owners micro lender, street boys, journalist and aid worker some twelve months after the events of the first two books.

Charity Mupanga ponders many things: what effect the planned slum conversion of Kireba to low-cost housing will have on their lives; how to get around the sudden cement shortage to build her waterless, fly-proof bush toilets; why her glue-sniffing street boys are stealing sugar from her store; and whether she should marry her suitor, micro-lender Edward Furniver. Edward is monitoring local market prices and hoping for a favourable decision from Charity. Street boy, Titus Ntoto is bent on revenge on Mayor Willifred Guchu for a sound beating endured a year ago.

Aid worker Lucy Gomball is considering her future in Africa and journalist Cecil Pearson has returned on vacation, unable to stay away from Africa and Lucy. Digby Adams is a fresh face on the Aid scene who has lost his travelling companion, Dolly. Clarence “Results” Mudenge is asked to advise on some unusual dilemmas.

This instalment has two weddings, a court appearance, a funeral, a theft from the top of a coffin and two deaths from old age. It touches on the politics of the foreskin, tribal loyalties, flying toilets, the beer index, and aid terminology, as well as finally revealing the name of the Oldest Member of the Thumaiga Club.

The only disappointment was a number of inconsistencies between this book and the last two: the age of the boys; the interval since the death of David Mupanga and Agatha Ogata; the spelling of the World Bank president’s name; the name of Rugiru’s wife and Japer; Edward Furniver’s backstory. Plot, characters and atmosphere are still first rate and loose ends are nicely tied. An excellent ending to the trilogy.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gently satirical story about the slums of Kuwisha, in Africa, where Charity Mupanga runs Harrods International Bar. She is the centre of a cirlce of local friends, a motley crew of aid workers with lofty ambitions, and a disreputable group of street boys, who sniff glue and depend on her for handouts in the form of dough balls. There is an election in the air, and plans to clear the slums. Charity has to fight the officials to save Harrods, while deciding what to do about the Englishman who loves her. Will she marry him and move to England, will he stay with her in Africa, and will she be able to save her beloved Harrods, as well as install the new toilet block that she dreams about?

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in a vast African slum it touches on the aid industry, corruption,street boys, flying toilets in a style reminiscent of Alexander McCall Smith and Evelyn Waugh. In the end I am not sure if it works as some very big issues are dealt with in quite a superficial way.