MAISHA YETU
Sometime in May 2008, I was in a team of East African journalists that flew to Kigali to attend a book launch. The launch took place at the Hotel des Mille Collines, made popular by the movie, Hotel Rwanda, which earned American actor Don Cheadle, an Oscar nomination. In the movie, Cheadle portrayed Paul Rusesabagina […]
Kinyanjui Kombani and Stanley Gazemba have a number of things in common. They are both writers who first put pen on paper at the turn of the century. They also landed on a one-man publisher, based in Nairobi, who upon seeing their evident potential, promised them heaven on earth. Soon, each had a book out. […]
The 23rd edition of the Nairobi International Book Fair, which was scheduled to be held from September 28 to October 2, has been postponed indefinitely, as a way of prevention against Covid-19. “After careful consultative discussions with key stakeholders, the KPA board agreed that the presidential directive issued on 18th August 2021, vide Public Order […]
When former Education Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i realised that corrupt booksellers and head teachers were pilfering money meant for the purchase of textbooks, he instituted a number of measures that cut off booksellers from the textbooks’ gravy train, leaving head teachers high and dry and pupils in public schools quite happy. Publishers, he ordered, would […]
When schools were opening, there were complaints all over, especially on social media, by folks, with kids in academies, expressing frustrations at how queues in bookstores were unmanageable. It was hectic. However, let me give you the other side of the coin: public schools. Parents with kids in public schools only needed to present their […]
With the death of Henry Ole Kulet, Kenya has lost one of its most consistent and arguably the most decorated author based in Kenya. Ole Kulet is known for his novels that mainly revolve around the Maasai culture. Older folk will remember him for his books Is it Possible?, To Become a Man, Moran No […]
Michael Soi was at the immigration queue at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when he saw a Chinese couple jump the queue to be served at the counter. “People on the queue pretended like this was not happening; they were willing to let this blatant breach of procedure pass,” says Soi. Soi was of […]
The highly acclaimed TV drama Game of Thrones might be on its last stretch but it would appear that it has left a mark on Kenyan audiences. In the drama series there is an Iron Throne that every person, who thinks they have leadership blood in them, wants to occupy. The throne is forged out […]
Prof Ngugi wa Thiong’o makes a homecoming, of sorts, when he returns to Amherst College—where he was based in the early stages of exile—in a three-day fest celebrating his 80th birthday. He will be one of the star attractions at the Amherst Lit Festival, hosted by the top liberal arts college, and whose prominent Kenyan […]
The marketing of Tafaria Castle, which straddles two counties, Lakipia and Nyandarua, is such that no one in their right mind would pass up the opportunity to spend a night there. When a call came in, one fine Friday, asking if I would like to go to Tafaria, the following day, I did not think […]