MAMBO Press on Friday captured the hearts of many as it exhibited at this year's Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF) 2025.
ZIBF, which began on July 31 and ended on Friday last week under the theme Reconnect Festival, announced its return to Bulawayo after a long break since the COVID-19 period.
Mambo Press has been operating from Gweru premises after the closure of the Bulawayo branch.
The book's publishing house official made the remarks during a book expo where it sold IsiNdebele old books at US$2 for ordinary books, US$6 for set books, and the expo turned out exceptionally well.
Mambo Press marketing officer Millicent Taruvinga highlighted the diverse collection Mambo Press offers, including titles like UMendo, Ngangingazi and Umhlaba Lo, consisting of Ndebele, Shona and English books.
"The response from the Bulawayo audience was overwhelmingly positive, with popular titles selling out by mid-morning. We had to reach out to our offices for more books to be brought in by the afternoon," she said.
Taruvinga assured potential buyers that arrangements can be made to purchase books, as the company is running a promotion on local language books, which include English ones to encourage a culture of reading among young people and the larger community, until the end of the year.
Taruvinga further noted that the hard copy reading culture is alive and well in Bulawayo.
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"I thought people didn't read hard copies anymore, but the comments I received show that many believe reading from a physical book enhances focus," she said.
"I had brought a substantial number of books from Gweru, but by 10am, they had sold out. I had to call the offices in Gweru for more stock to be delivered."
Taruvinga said Mambo Press had briefly closed operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"To revive our brand, we are working on making our books available on digital platforms, although it is still work in progress," she said.
When asked about advice for readers, she said, "Reading is therapy. Many individuals are facing mental health challenges and we encourage them to find solace in books. You might discover solutions within the pages that could shift your perspective."
Taruvinga said Mambo Press aimed to revive its presence in Bulawayo by inviting authors to join it on its journey to write and publish.
"You can expect new releases before the end of this year," she promised.
She expressed gratitude to ZIBF for hosting the event and praised the community of Bulawayo for its support.
"This Reconnect Festival has opened many doors between us and our audiences. We would like to especially acknowledge Raisedon Baya, whose voice brought everyone to our expo. We could not have achieved this without the greats of the City of Bulawayo, who have shown extraordinary support," he said.
Mambo Press, formerly known as The Catholic Mission Press, was established in 1957 when Brother Michael Zwyssig and his team of builders erected the first workshops and staff quarters.
The Catholic Mission Press opened on February 2, 1958, under Father Monico.
He was succeeded by Father Loetscher. In 1962, Father Michael Traber became director of the press. The Catholic Mission Press changed its name to Mambo in 1963, which showed it was no longer concerned with only catholic/religious literature.
