Sue Nyathi, the Zimbabwean author of The Polygamist – the novel adapted into Netflix’s hit South African series – has called out Nairobi bookstore Affordable Books for selling pirated copies of the book.
On the morning of 22 June, Nyathi tweeted while sharing a screenshot of her books on display at Affordable Books: “There are pirated copies of #ThePolygamist being sold at Affordable Books in Nairobi along Ronald Ngala Street. I know the book is in demand & I’m working to make it available there through a reputable supplier. Copyright infringement is a crime. Don’t support the violation!”
Stay ahead of Kenya & East Africa’s film and TV.
Get our stories in your inbox — Subscribe to our newsletter now.
This comes amid renewed interest in The Polygamist, first published in 2012, following the release of its Netflix adaptation. Produced by South African production company Stained Glass, the series follows Jonasi, a wealthy businessman whose empire begins to crumble under the weight of his infidelity and sexual deviance.
The series stars Gugu Gumede (Uzalo), S’dumo Mtshali (My Brother’s Keeper), Kwanele Mtethwa (Umkhokha: The Curse), Celeste Ntuli (Savage Beauty), Kenneth Nkosi (Soon Comes Night) and Luyanda Zwane (Shaka iLembe).
Since premiering on Netflix on 12 June, The Polygamist has dominated online conversations and soared to the top of the platform’s charts, reaching the number one spot in 16 countries during its first week, including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, France, Jamaica, Italy and Hungary. Overall, the series reached number four on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV chart and recorded 19 million hours viewed in this first week.
Nyathi’s tweet has raised serious questions about literary piracy in Kenya, a longstanding challenge that has not attracted the same level of attention and enforcement as film and TV piracy. According to a previous report by the Kenya Publishers Association, piracy deprives the publishing sector of up to 40% of its market share, although most available data relates to textbooks and school set books.
Nairobi-based author Collins Sakwah Ongoma, whose works include The Campus Exile and The Devil Was One of Us, echoed Nyathi’s concerns, tweeting:
“Kenya has a book piracy problem. The government knows. Pirated books are sold openly on the streets of Nairobi. It hurts me the most when I find African books pirated on the streets of Nairobi.”
Responding to Nyathi’s tweet, the Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) said:
“Good morning. It would help if you reported this infringement on https://copyright.ecitizen.go.ke and pick ‘Report on Infringement Matters’ tab. This will be acted on.”
The social media post by Affordable Books has since been removed, although it remains unclear whether the bookstore has withdrawn the books from sale.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
All reporting, interviews, and reviews on Sinema Focus are protected under international copyright law and the Kenya Copyright Act, 2001. No part of this publication may be reproduced, rewritten, republished, or redistributed in any form by media outlets without prior written consent. For reprint or syndication inquiries, contact editorial@sinemafocus.com.
©️ 2026 Sinema Focus / African Film Press. All rights reserved.
Never miss a moment.
Get the latest stories from Sinema Focus delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe to our newsletter now.
