MAISHA YETU
For purposes of this story, I will start by going down memory lane, where we meet Ancent Soi, who was employed as a shop assistant at a curio store belonging to former Kamukunji MP, George Nthenge, at the City Market. Now curio shops are filled with, among other things, colourful artefacts meant for the tourist […]
The Affordable Art Show (AAS) is probably the most exciting event in the calendar of Kenyan art events. This is probably the only art show where rank amateurs get to share the same exhibition space with established professionals in the industry. And just like the title indicates, this is about the only place, art lovers […]
Short story writers have until May 15 to submit their entries to the Kendeka Prize for African Literature. The call out for submission for the 2023 prize was made on Saturday January 28, during the inaugural Kendeka Lecture, held at the Mount Kenya University. The lecture, titled Why Literature Matters and Literary Prizes Matter, was […]
Kenya’s Cynthia Abdallah is among the winners of the 2022 Itanile Awards. The Awards, administered by Itanile Magazine, rewards the effort and commitment of literary creatives for advancing the African experience, through storytelling. “We select winners of the award from works we publish from January to December every year,” says Itanile. “Our guest editor selected […]
When Ngugi wa Thiong’o left his Kamirithu village, in Limuru, to join Alliance High School, the State of Emergency had already been declared, by colonial authorities in Kenya. This mainly affected members of the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru communities, that formed the bulk of the Mau Mau rebellion. Members of these three communities could not […]
It is long since I last sat down with Adrian Nduma and the Covid restrictions were not helping matters. Being one of the top rated visual artists in Kenya, I have always been amazed by his works; they are so breathtakingly real. The other day I went for a meeting in Karen and it occurred […]
History has a funny way of repeating itself, especially if we do not learn from it. In 1980, Frank Sundstrom, an American marine landed at the Kenyan coast, where he met Monicah Njeri. Njeri was what you would call a sex worker, yaani alikuwa anatafutia watoto. One thing led to another; the two had sex, […]
Henry Chakava, has been referred to as the father of African publishing for good reason. He would have easily made a career in the academy but he chose publishing instead. In 1972, he joined the then Heinemann Educational Publishers as an editor. In a span of six years, he had risen to the position of […]