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Items by jngunjiri

maisha yetu

Koigi’s shock and awe in new book

Posted: September 30, 2008, 4:38 pm by jngunjiri

It has been said that former Subukia MP Koigi wa Wamwere and controversy are inseparable. Nowhere does that come out clearly than in his new book Towards Genocide in Kenya: The Curse of Negative Ethnicity in Kenya. Actually, this is not an entirely new book. Koigi added a new chapter in his earlier book Negative [...]
What does Palin have against books?

Posted: September 4, 2008, 5:40 pm by jngunjiri

I must admit here that Sarah Palin, in spite of the awful things that have been said and written about her, pulled off quite a speech when she accepted her vice-presidential nomination at the Republican Convention. She proved that just like Obama, she has what it takes to work up crowds and the Republican conservatives must [...]
Mundia Mundia on Storymoja

Posted: August 20, 2008, 2:12 pm by jngunjiri

Good people, I received this thought provoking piece from Mundia Mundia and I thought I would share. Leave your comments down there. Hi, May you kindly permit me to break into the residence of the ‘Nyama Choma Siesta’ with a few reflections on the ‘Story Moja Nyama Choma Fiesta’. First, Muthoni Garland, the stewardess of this ‘eatery’ venture [...]
Kwani? Litfest is the place to be

Posted: August 1, 2008, 12:50 pm by jngunjiri

The Kwani? Literary Festival (Litfest) kicks off today in Nairobi. This is by far the most prestigious literary event in the country, which attracts celebrated international literary luminaries, who mingle with homegrown talent. The festival starts today and runs up to August 15 in Nairobi and the coastal town of Lamu. The festival will be [...]
Publisher trains disadvantaged girls

Posted: July 26, 2008, 5:10 pm by jngunjiri

A group of 20 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds across Kenya have embarked on a unique weeklong training, on video and movie-making skills, organised by Longman Kenya Limited in collaboration with The Pierson Foundation. The training started on Friday July 25 and ends on Friday August I. A graduation ceremony will take place on the last day. The [...]
Reformed drug trafficker’s book is all the rave

Posted: July 12, 2008, 4:59 pm by jngunjiri

Judy Akinyi, or Saga MacOdongo, if you like, is the latest sensation in the Kenyan literary scene. Every one now seems to want a piece of her. Well, I will not deny her the right to be feted by literary enthusiasts. She has earned it. Her book Deadly Money Maker is currently the talk of [...]
Wangari Maathai’s book at Storymoja Book Club

Posted: July 5, 2008, 6:46 am by jngunjiri

Prof Wangari Maathai’s memoirs Unbowed, will be the subject of discussion during this month’s Storymoja’s Book Club. The event takes place on Monday 7th of July 2008 at the Sherlock’s Den Nakumatt Lifestyle from 6pm to 8 pm. Nominated MP Njoki Ndung’u will grace the event. Unbowed, published in 2006, puts the Nobel Laureate’s life in [...]
KU essayists excell

Posted: July 1, 2008, 3:09 pm by jngunjiri

Kenyatta University is slowly emerging as a centre of excellence as far as writing essays in the region is concerned. Two of its students, Nancy Odemu and Michael Asudi, recently returned from the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) Telecom Africa 2008, in Cairo Egypt, after winning an essay writing competition on the role of ICT in [...]
Hotel Rwanda: A work of fiction?

Posted: April 1, 2008, 5:10 pm by jngunjiri

The Movie Hotel Rwanda might have done a lot to sensitise the world on the 1994 Rwandan genocide, but not many people in Rwanda are happy about it. So much such that there is nothing in or around Hotel des Mille Collines that says that this is actually the hotel that was famously depicted in the [...]
Negative Ethnicity: From Bias to Genocide

Posted: March 18, 2008, 2:24 pm by jngunjiri

Title: Negative Ethnicity: From Bias to Genocide Author: Koigi wa Wamwere Publisher: Seven Stories Press For a long time Kenyans held their heads high confident that theirs was a peaceful country, that the “Curse of Africa” – internal fighting – has never struck us, in spite of the fact that we are a multi-ethnic communities. Well, this came to [...]
Deadly Money Maker: A Review

Posted: February 21, 2008, 3:08 pm by jngunjiri

Title: Deadly Money Maker Author: Saga Macodongo Publisher: Paulines Publications Africa It is human nature to yearn for better life. This is the reason why people work so hard so as to improve their livelihoods. It is no longer strange to find people holding multiple jobs, if only to make ends meet. However, there are a few who opt [...]
Otieno Amisi: Death of a Kenyan Poet

Posted: February 13, 2008, 7:35 pm by jngunjiri

His was such a powerful voice, especially coming from a person of such small stature. Even as he was ailing, Amisi’s voice did not betray this when together with Prof Chris Wanjala and author Onduko Bw’ Atebe hosted Literary Giants on KBC Radio every Sunday afternoon. His unmistakable voice on radio was only but a facade of the daunting odds that must have weighed heavily on him in his last days.
Otieno Amisi, given to a cheerful disposition, never missed any literary event. One thing that struck a person upon meeting him for the first time was his small eyes, that burnt with so much life. I first met Amisi in 2002, when I was writing for the The Standard. He joined from Daily Nation as a theatre critic. Though we didn’t interact much then, from his pieces, I could tell he was a serious person.
In September 2003, a shake-up at the Standard, saw a number of journalists out in the streets without jobs. Amisi and I were among the unfortunate lot. In the course of our freelancing we would bump into each other in several functions. It is around that time that I heard that he had become a dad to quadruplets! I imagined it must have been tough surviving as a freelancer, in Nairobi, and having to raise four new babies.
My real interaction with Amisi came about in 2006 when he opened his blog - he is actually the one who ushered me into the world of blogging. “Dear friend,
I finally have a new blog, where we can share ideas on editing and writing. Just go to otienoamisi.wordpress.com Otieno Amisi,” was the message he sent me on October 25, 2006. And that is when I came to know the other side of Amisi. His fearless wit and intellect came out in his postings. His pen spared no one. When James Murua - www.nairobiliving.com - launched his website on social life in Nairobi, Amisi gave it a stinging review, in his blog, dismissing it not being ‘artistic’. This drew sharp reactions from people who thought Jaymo was doing a great job, including yours trully.
With our pens, Amisi and I had crossed s(words), and this brought about a healthy mutual respect. In the course of his blogging Amisi never shied away from getting into a fight, with whoever, as long as he believed he was right. He had opened my eyes to the exciting world of blogging. He would put enything he wrote in his blogs, and while most of it presented readers with interesting readings, others made for labourious reads.
Soon he opened another blog on poetry, and he did justice to it seeing as he was the secretary of Kenya Poets Association. Courtesy of www.writethatstory.com Amisi made a first when he launched a poetry e-book Back to the Future during the 2007 Nairobi International Book Fair, which was celebrating its tenth anniversary.
Then it was qiute clear that he was really ailing. After a lengthy hospitalisation at Kenyatta National Hospital - he included his hospital experiences in his blog - he lost use of his right hand and it was permanently in a sling. If anything, his ill-health served to drive him even harder. I remember seeing him hand-in-sling make his way through treacherous and slippery rocky gorges, during a trip organised for writers, by Kwani? Trust, to Hell’s Gate in Naivasha, in early 2007. Amisi also rarely missed the monthly poetry Open Mic organised by Kwani? at Club Soundd in Nairobi. And he almost always had a new poem to recite.
When Tony Mochama aka Smitta Smitten launched his poetry book - What if I am a Literary Gangster - in November 2007, there was no way Amisi would have missed out in the action. I reviewed the book in my blog and it generated quite a debate. To date, it is the most popular post on my blog.
On December 10 2007, Amisi called on me and gave me his review of Mochama’s book, and insisted that I publish it in my blog. I saw it an honour that Amisi would consider blog worthy of his review. Whenever we met he used to tell me a lot of nice things about my blog, which was naturally flattering. Amisi’s review, which I titled Gangster Poetry: Otieno Amisi’s Verdict was to be my last post for 2007, and that was the last day I saw him alive.
In the meantime, the political scene was getting heated up with politicians, making a nuisance of themselves, campaigning for the 2007 General Election. The violence that greeted the presidential poll results left many, including bloggers, shell-shocked. Come the bloody new year, the country is in ruins, and people are preoccupied with their safety. That is when I heard that Amisi had passed away. It also emerged that he did not even vote, which is as well, as he did not partcipate in the process that has almost reduced our dear country into a hell hole.
With Amisi’s death, Kenya’s writing fraternity has lost a committed journalist and a dedicated poet.
RIP Amisi, you lived the full life.
Letter to a friend

Posted: February 12, 2008, 5:14 pm by jngunjiri

This is my first post this year. What happened after the General Election left me thoroughly disillusioned. How could we descend to such barbarity. Is politics really that important that I have to kill my neighbour? Are our political leader’s worth dying for? Do we have to hate so much? I tried asking myself these and more questions, and everytime I drew a blank.
Today, my e-mail inbox popped and a childhood friend (who by accident of birth is a Luo) wrote telling me how this fighting is ovyo (full of rubbish). He reminded me that in Nakuru (Rongai), where we were born, we co-existed with so many tribes that some of us are multi-lingual. My friend is called Chege, but his real name is Ouma. He got his name after that famous footballer Ouma Chege. The subject of his message was Amani (Peace).
As I write this my family back at home lives in constant fear of being attacked.
I thought I might share my reply to him, with you. In a way, it captures what has been going through my mind:
“We need peace my brother. This tribal hate thing does not help one single minute. You and I were brought in a society where you only spoke your mother tongue in the house. Out there Kiswahili was the lingua franca. Even today I consider Kiswahili to be my first language, because I think in Kiswahili. I never knew tribe, I only saw friends. Many were the days I came to your place, and even though I did not understand much of Luo, I felt quite comfortable and safe. I really looked forward to having a meal at your place. You on the other hand knew so much Kikuyu, that you could tell when one was being rude to an elder. All that didn’t matter. What mattered was that we were friends.
“Remember the days we used to sit outside Kaguchia’s bathroom, watching the sun set on Kandutura Hills (sadly that is where they started burning houses in Rongai), telling stories and laughing at our silly mchongoano (kutoana magear). Remember how I would go to our house and find you gone, and had to find you at your place.
When we were growing up, it did not matter what tribe one came from, what mattered was who would beat the other in our games, or who would play football better. With our dogs, we went hunting together, swam together, stole fruits at Nyamu’s together, and chased girls together. We engaged in mischief together, and our parents, it did not matter whose child it was, punished us together.
Why can’t Kenya go back to those old days? It is said that people wise up as they grow older, does it mean that as Kenyans we’ve grown foolish as as the years go?”
Peace my dear readers
Gangster poetry: Otieno Amisi’s take

Posted: December 10, 2007, 8:38 pm by jngunjiri

Tony Mochama’s book What If I am a Literary Gangster has kicked up such a literary storm it appears that people cannot stop talking about it. Journalist Otieno Amisi insisted that Maisha Yetu must publish his review on the book. And who are we to say no to a good literary argument. Here you go:

Gangsters invade literary scene

Writing is suddenly becoming an attractive pastime in Kenya. Politicians, religious leaders and journalists are writing poems and biographies. A few are even venturing into the craft of poetry. With dire costs.

Last year, there was Kiraitu Murungi’s Song of My Beloved (Oakland Books, 2007). Then Raila Odinga followed with An Enigma in Kenyan Politics. And Kalembe Ndile has recently come with My Squatters, My Struggles, My Dream. Now journalist Tony Mochama has joined the fray.

But Mochama is a different sort of literary gangster. A journalist with something of a reputation for experimentation, Mochama is synonymous with what has become known as teen journalism, a medium obsessed with a footloose urban lingo called sheng and local heroes or ‘celebs’ as these one line, on line musicians are called. Last month, he launched his collection of poems under the title, What if I am a Literary Gangster? at the Goethe Institute, Nairobi.

The effect of Mochama’s book has been to divide critics down in the middle. There are those who think this kind of new, underground writing should be encouraged, especially considering that publishing even a line of poetry is so difficult in our part of the world.

Then there are those who argue that the book is not serious enough that its lighthearted broaching on what should be serious international issues like global trade imbalances and freedom is intolerable.

Sympathetic reviewers like Joseph Ngunjiri have been at pains to defend Mochama. Ngunjiri identifies what he calls “the soft side of the gangster. “ But old school critics like Egara Kabaji argue that his verses are “decidedly defiant,’ and are “neither poetic nor artistic.”

These are not the conventional neatly trimmed lines, as in rich in meaning and social concern as Okot p’Bitek or Jared Angira. Because Mochama the journalist is always on the run, his scribblings and musings are no more than snippets from his fleeting encounters with the world, with a world on the run.

According to the sympathizers, Mochama’s brand of poetry is ‘from another planet.’
Lumping his apparent ‘success’ in journalism of the gossip and rumour type, they see Mochama as a rising star in Kenya’s literary scene. But pulse journalism and poetry are worlds apart.

Ngunjiri argues that Mochama’s poems are ‘refreshingly real, and could only come from someone who has been through so much.’ He goes ahead to identify what he calls the ‘softer side’ of the poet, which he claims comes out especially in a piece titled, ‘Whispers’ and which is dedicated to the late word juggler Wahome Mutahi. The poem goes:

Laughter and your stories, lingers,
Like a silver cobweb clings
On a broken wall
lit by silver moonlight

But the ‘gangster’ leaves the reader breathless not for its lack of style or bland creativity, but for the sheer absence of beautiful language. The persona rushes, in one breath, between airports and seaports and rhythms and rhymes that are at once alarmist and drunken, then rushes back again to a gasp of short lived reality.

According to the author, the title was provoked by one Egara Kabaji, a former don at Kenyatta University lecturer at Masinde Muliro University who once dismissed Mochama as a “Literary Gangster, whose godfather is Binyavanga Wainaina.” In revenge, Mochama deliberately misspells the don’s name, calling him “Egaji Kabira, a lecturer at some minor college in Western Kenya.”

Kabaji, like many grammar school graduates, has few kind words for Mochama’s writing, which is mere wordplay. Mochama simply splatters words on a page, without a major theme or driving force. He is more of a roving juggler with words than a serious poet. But perhaps he had no intentions to be a serious poet—and like his newspaper celebs, just wants to ride big on fame, with a miniature substance.
His scribblings are about nothing in particular and about everything all at once; snippets of his love life, his nightlife, his love for vodka and his travels to far away cities. His attempt to rhyme at all costs sometimes ends up like an echo of those ‘hip hop’ musicians who strangle meaning in their strings of rhyme, or poor imitations of Wole Soyinka. Who said poetry must rhyme?
Mochama’s poems are also full of strange references to Siberia, Russia, St. Petersburg, Stalin and other travel experiences. But who said poetry must be about distant journeys and privileged encounters?
Yet his skill with words sometimes emerges strongly. Sample this:
When I run out of poetic tricks
I shall commit syntax
Ferry my body in a verse
And bury me, in the symmetry
Mochama the wordsmith has a pulse that comes with a wicked, sometimes explosive, sometimes mischievous sense of humour, and, — let’s give it to him — a whiff of fresh air into the drab poetic scene.
Here’s another clip from Black Mischief a word play on Sissina, the victim of Naivasha farmer Chomondley’s gun wielding racism:

Sisina’s sin, it seems
Is that he had no idea
Where Naivasha ends,
And England begins.

Right from the cover, which shows a shattered glass window, complete with holes on the words of the title itself, what is contained between the covers of the book is quite unlike your ordinary, conventional book of poetry. It is unthinkable that such a book should find its way into the classroom; the good old chaps at the Kenya Institute of Education are unlikely to take a second look at it; but not everything must be written for the Orange book.

In ‘Trading Places’, the poet takes a mischievous shot at the social, political and economic differences between Africa and the West. He addresses the double standards employed by the West when dealing with Africa, and in typical poetic license, puts Africa at the top of the world.

When he is not tackling universal themes like freedom and love he takes a philosophical musing on life and death. But his tone is typically, even annoyingly, happy-go-lucky, full of mischief and appears fired off from a cannon loaded with irony.

Like Kabaji, Otieno Otieno, a journalist with the Nation Media group, is furious. He writes, “It is not so often that literary clowns like Mochama enjoy such unflattering reviews. But the intellectual freedom of the blogosphere propels this rebel from obscurity into a somewhat comfortable abode in the mainstream.

Another reviewer, Munene wa Mumbi, calls it ‘exhibitionist verse, which fits under the category of travelogue’ and relegates this writing to a Russian Tourism Board Newsletter, ‘if it is there.’ Mochama is merely fascinated with gangsterism. He is awestruck by overseas travel,’ Munene barks. “Clipping the lines of a short story does not render it a poem.”

By and large, the book remains a one man show, lacking the editorial edge that could have come with a bigger, local and more careful publisher.
Amisi rans a blog called Creative Ventures
KPA’s end of year party

Posted: December 8, 2007, 7:04 pm by jngunjiri

Friday December 7 was a very special day for me and this blog. This is the day that Pulse, the increasingly popular youth/entertaining magazine that comes out every Friday in the Standard, reproduced a review I had ran on Tony Mochama’s poetry book What If I am a Literary Gangster. The piece was treated as Special Edition in the Scene at column.
This was also the day that Kenya Publishers Association (KPA), through Lillian Inziani, invited me to their end of year luncheon held at the posh Nairobi Club. I checked in some minutes past one sufficiently hungry for the spread the ever resourceful Lillian had in store for us.
The first person I saw at the venue was OUP’s PR chief Esther Kantai, in the company of their marketing director John Kiarie and Kiswahili editor Hassan Said, who was appropriately dressed in a Kanzu, being a Friday.
The place was still in the process of being laid out but KPA chair Mrs Nancy Karimi, looking regal, (JKF MD) was already there, so was Eve Obara of KLB, a KPA council member. This was going to be an open-air function, as opposed to the closed-door affairs of previous years. Lillian, the KPA executive officer could be seen running around, obviously making sure that everything was in order.
I took a seat at the far left corner, directly facing the buffet table, where else! Soon, and in quick succession, I was joined by Treza Kinoru, EAEP’s PR girl, Brenda Anjuri, OUP’s production manager and Mary Mbuthia Macmillan’s Marketing manager. Clearly, I was not doing badly, what with all those beauties surrounding me. There was also Henry Munene, an editor at EAEP. Munene in Kikuyu means big, and clearly he is not exactly small! Gabriel Maina, the cool Savanis’ Marketing manager completed the picture.
Much later we were joined by Musyoki Muli, the Sasa Sema boss at Longhorn. Muli also turned out to be the event’s emcee, and he really did a good job of it. Next table sat Kiarie Kamau (KK) the quiet but highly effective editorial manager at EAEP, looking sharp like a pin. (he introduced himself only as editor. Kwanini unacheza na madaraka KK?) Louisa Kadzo, an editor at EAEP and the indefatigable one-man publishing machine Malkiat Sighn himself.
Behind me sat two other very tough publishing gurus, Simon Sossion of Longhorn and Muthui Kiboi of Focus. I gather they were in KU together. They must have been reliving some nostalgic college days.
Lawrence Njagi, the MD of Mountain Top later stepped in majestically in the company of his lovely wife and planted themselves at the high table. June Wanjiru, the marketing manager at Kwani? Completed the picture at the high table, which also had Jimna Mbaru, the NSE boss, who was the chief guest.
On the other side I could see beautiful Beatrice Nugi of Longhorn, as well as Peter Nyoro of Longman. Murori Kiunga of Queenex Holdings was also in the house. The trio of Paul Karaimu, Anne Mutua and Catherine Muraguri, had ably represented WordAlive Publishers, I wonder where their boss David Waweru was.
Once everyone was settled Mrs Karimi gave her speech, which highlighted the achievements KPA had chalked up in the year, which included the holding of a successful tenth Nairobi International Book Fair, and challenged publishers to aim for bigger things in the coming year.
It was now the time for Jimnah Mbaru to give his keynote address, which went on well, save from the little hitch of his Powerpoint presentation which most of us could not see because of too much light. He explained to those gathered what the NSE is all about and the various ways people can make money there.
Touching on the sensitive issue of Kenya’s sorry reading culture, Mbaru explained this could be due to the unfortunate culture among Kenyans who claim to have “finished” school after attaining a certain level of education, thereby putting an end to reading. Giving his own example, where he enrolled for a Law degree at the University of Nairobi, when he was in his fifties, he stressed that reading is a life-long commitment.
He challenged publishers to get out of the cocoon of text book publishing and embrace general publishing. He gave the example of the West where publishers encourage well known public figures to write books, as they are guaranteed sales.
Was it an oversight that he forgot to mention that he has a book out published by EAEP? Well…
Finally Mbaru asked publishers to have themselves listed in the NSE, as they would raise their profiles that way. A publisher’s IPO anyone?
Too bad Mbaru had to leave before he could partake of what Lillian had on the buffet table for us. A busy man, he had to rush to another function – Things that billionaires do that we don’t. Hmm I guess I will be skipping lunches more often in order to emulate Mbaru… just kidding.
Anyway, the best part of the day was soon here with us and Muli invited members of the high table to sample that buffet delights before everyone. Apparently, Muli who kept using sayings and proverbs in his presentation, has never heard of this one: Charity begins at home! He should have started with our table, where he was also seated! He he
Anyway I digress. After putting away a plate full – I stress the word full – it was time for introductions, and I realised that people in the publishing industry do not know each other! Which is a shame really. Lillian should work at bringing the publishing fraternity together more often, possibly in the evenings, where people can mingle over a drink. It is only natural. As the function came to a close Kakai Karani, the MD of Longman cornered me and accused me of being biased against his company! He only let me go after extracting a promise from me that I would write a comprehensive review of their book Poems Aplently. In my other life I work as newspaper book reviewer. Now you understand why I was invited to a publishers’ bash.
As we were leaving, Njagi and his wife were kind enough to give me a ride in their cream Mercedes. But do I say?
UPDATE: I am reliably informed that KPA’s website was supposed to be launched during the lancheon. We never got to hear a word of it. Lillian what happened?
Maisha Yetu gets recognition

Posted: December 8, 2007, 5:38 pm by jngunjiri

Barely two months after Maisha Yetu came into being we seem to have caused quite a stir in the literary scene. We first received a favourable mention on Kenyanpoet, a blog that deal in literary issues with specific focus on poetry. in the piece, Kenyanpoet, who appears to be well versed in matters IT (I am still learning the ropes) gives an overview of blogs in the country and how they have evolved over time. The illuminating story also tells of the edge blogs have over other journalistic medium. Kenyanpoet had some really flattering words about Maisha Yetu:
Amidst all these, one journalist has realized the future of media- the internet. He runs a literary blog, www.kenyanbooks.wordpress.com which focuses on Kenyan books, Kenyan writers as well as what is happening in the local literary scene. The Blog, which was not setup too long ago, has become a platform where thespians as well as readers of African literature can engage in discussion forums.
The blog allows visitors to post their comments without any admin moderation which gives a feeling of one being in room where thoughts and feedback given are in real time.
You can read the full story here.That is not all. The immensly popular youth/entertainment magazine Pulse, which appears every Friday in the Standard, on their December 7 edition (Their fourth anniversary edition), reproduced a story that appeared in Maisha Yetu; Literary Gangster: Smitta’s Poetry book. In the story, I had reviewed the book What If I am a Literary Gangster by Tony Mochama. Mochama also answers to the name Smitta Smitten, a star columnist in Pulse. Smitta thought that the review was quite good and that it deserved to be reproduced in his culumn Scene at under Special Edition tag. That way Maisha Yetu made history as the only guest columnist (we appeared under the pen name Joe Mondie) to have ever graced the paged in the four years that Pulse has been in existence! It is not for nothing that the story was carried in the Standard, Kenyan’s second largest circulating newspaper.The story has has generated a lot of debate in the comments section as you will see. These are some of the things that tell us that we are doing the right things and that we are headed in the right direction.
Ngugi’s book still relevant 42 years on

Posted: November 26, 2007, 5:59 pm by jngunjiri

More than 20 years after Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s book The River Between was unceremoniously bundled out of the Kenyan school system, it is now set to make a major comeback after the Ministry of Education approved it as a compulsory set book in literature studies in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). Many will be [...]
Meja Mwangi’s book honoured

Posted: November 15, 2007, 9:33 pm by jngunjiri

Meja Mwangi’s book The Last Plague, published by Kenya’s East African Educational Publishers (EAEP) has been included in the current issue of African Writing (AW), a bi-monthly online journal, under the Books Worth Reading column. This is a column that makes a case for potential African classics. This is a major honour for the book that addresses the issue of HIV/Aids.
The honour is not misplaced though. The book, which was published in 2000, won the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, Kenya’s biggest and most prestigious literary prize, in 2001. AW pays glowing tribute to Mwangi’s book by comparing it with Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s latest masterpiece Wizard of the Crow.

In his 449-page novel, THE LAST PLAGUE, Kenyan writer, Meja Mwangi, achieved two things: he wrote a restrained AIDS novel that was true to the apocalyptic character of the pandemic, and he wrote a classic of delirious humour. It is this combination of tragedy (that never quite loses its grasp on hope), deft satire, and unexpected humour that bushwhacks the reader at the most sombre moments, that makes this book compelling rereading, even seven years after its first publication.

Read the complete review on AW here
Meja Mwangi’s other book Kill me Quick, also by EAEP won the inaugural edition of Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature in 1974. During this year’s edition of Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, his book The Boy Gift, also by EAEP, took third position in the youth category. The second position was taken by Ken Walibora with his book Innocence Long Lost, Published by Sasa Sema. The Overall winner was Kingwa Kamencu’s book To Grasp at a Star (EAEP)
Literary Gangster: Smitta’s poetry book

Posted: November 12, 2007, 4:26 pm by jngunjiri

Saturday, November 10 was a big day for Tony Mochama. He was launching his book What if I am a Literary Gangster? – a collection of poetry – at the Goethe Institute in Nairobi. With such a defiant title, you almost guessed what is contained between the covers of the book. Well, one thing you are [...]
Book on Kalembe Ndile out

Posted: November 9, 2007, 7:41 pm by jngunjiri

I have always been fascinated by the outgoing Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile, who is also an assistant minister in the Ministry of Tourism. His modest education aside, the politician has a way of putting his points across, that I think makes a lot of sense. Take the case when he told off envoys attached to Kenya, [...]
Dr Alembi honoured for children’s writing

Posted: November 6, 2007, 8:38 pm by jngunjiri

David Mulwa was just emerging from the Literature Department bulding, at Kenyatta University (KU) where he teaches, when he came to an abrupt halt. It was as if he had seen a ghost. For a few brief seconds he stood there, his mouth wide open, as if trying to establish whether his eyes were lying to him. Clearly, they were not.
“Chris Lukorito Wanjala!” he exclaimed finally and rushed forward to hug the other man, and they remained in a tight embrace for a few more seconds. Dressed in a sharp grey pin-stripped suit, Prof Wanjala had just stepped out of his maroon Volvo, and for sure he was a sight for Mulwa’s sore eyes. While Mulwa teaches at Kenyatta University, Prof Wanjala teaches at the University of Nairobi, some 23 kilometers away.
On that day, Friday, November 3, 2007, Prof Wanjala admitted that many years had passed since he last set foot at KU. And for him to appear there now, it really must be a big day. True, it was a big day. The Igbo of Nigeria say that a toad does not jump in broad daylight for nothing. The two lecturers had barely finished exchanging niceties when Dr Ezekiel Alembi appeared on the scene.
Now, Dr Alembi is the chairman of KU’s Literature Department, and he was the reason Prof Wanjala was there. It was a big day for Dr Alembi. Sasa Sema Publications, an imprint of Longhorn Publishers, were honouring him for his contribution to children’s literature.
To be fair to him, Dr Alembi has penned over 39 children’s books! no mean feat by Kenyan standards. This lead to one student in the audience to ask when Dr Alembi finds time to sleep! When he took to the podium Prof Francis Imbuga, who was the chief guest remarked quite rightly that writing for children is not child’s play!
To elaborate on that point, Dr Alembi recounted an encounter with a person who so much took writing children’s stories for granted, that he said that he could write 15 children’s books in a week. That was five years back. To date, he has not written even one.
Er, before I forget, let me add that the event was not a purely literary affair. There were some entertainment too. Serious entertainment at that. Students from the university’s band kept all the guests thoroughly entertained with their masterly of musical instruments. The Salsa group also staged some eye-catching dancing. Cream Group was at hand for some well-choreographed dancing. A comedy group, I cant recall their name, tore our ribs with their improvised narrative on what was taking place at the event.
Talking of performances, perhaps the best perfomance, at least according to me, was when David Mulwa accompanied by Prof Kitula King’ei, with a box guitar, did some two zilizopendwa (Golden Oldies) numbers, Taxi Driver and Dereva Kombo. That was really something coming from the aging university dons.
Now back to the event. Dr Alembi told those gathered at the event that he was really humbled with the recognition, adding that it is not everyday that publishers in Kenya honour their writers. “It is even more heartening that they have decided to honour me while I am still alive. In most circumstances, such honours come after its recipients have died,” he explained.
Dr Catherine Ndungo, who heads the department of Gender and Development studies at the university, hailed Dr Alembi for bring literature to the level of children. She said that among other things, Dr Alembi argues that the interests, needs and responses of child readers must be taken into account. “That a concern with the intended audience is crucial to the critical appraisal of children’s literature,” she explained.
Prof Imbuga thanked Dr Alembi for being ” a conscious writer, dictating to his pen the thoughts that go to the vulnerably receptive minds of his young audience.”
Dr Alembi has written seven books for Longhorn publishers. They are; Jaramogi Oginga Odinga: Peoples’ Revolutionary, Elijah Masinde: Rebel with a Cause, Andisi and the Cat, Brave Girls, The Tortoise Song, Kwa Nini Ndovu Hali Nyama, Teaching Reading in Lower Primary. He has also co-authored the Keynote Primary English Course which is approved by the Kenya Institute of Education (KIE) and widely used in Kenya and Tanzania. The occasion was also use to launch his latest book, A Dream on Wings.
“ It is Alembi’s zeal and energy that made us feel guilty that he is rarely
recognized. We are now working on two secondary school supplementary books
with him, and it’s just great to work with a man who wants to give his readers the
very best,” says Musyoki Muli, the Sasa Sema Publications Manager.
In September Dr Alembi was in Argentina, where he presented a paper tiltled Children’s Oral Poetry as a Channel for Transmitting Social Values at the International Society for Folg Narrative Research (ISFNR). Dr Alembi is ISFNR Vice-President for Africa. Dr Alembi is also the chairman of the National Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama Festival.
Kingwa Kamencu, Kenya’s rising star

Posted: November 6, 2007, 4:53 pm by jngunjiri

As a first year Literature student at the University of Nairobi Kingwa Kamencu took up the challenge by the National Book Development Council of Kenya (NBDCK), to come up with a manuscript for a novella, and won the second prize and Ksh35,000.
That was in 2003. The same novella, now in the form of a book – To Grasp at a Star – won the youth category of the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, Kenya’s most prestigious literary prize.
An elated Kingwa says winning the prize is enough testimony that her writing can actually compete with the best in the country. Looking back at the manuscript she wrote as a student, she says at the time she not quite sure it would be among the winners. “I nevertheless submitted the manuscript and hoped for the best,” she recalls.
“At that time in campus I decided to write so as to overcome the disappointment of losing in student leadership elections,” she says.
During the awards ceremony, she got to interact with many personalities in the literary world, some of whom she had only read about in her Literature class. However, one individual was to make all the difference.
In the gathering was Barrack Muluka, who was then the managing director of East Educational Publishers (EAEP). “I talked to him and he asked me to submit the manuscript for consideration at the company,” says Kingwa her face lighting up at the recollection.
She wasted no time. The event was held on a Friday evening and by Monday morning an excited Kingwa was knocking at EAEP’s offices in Westlands.
Then the good news came. She was informed that her manuscript had passed the publication test only that they wanted another novella of the same length. Luckily, for her she had written one.
Her dream of being a published author was finally realised when she was in third year. To Grasp at a Star was finally born. She says that after the book was published, there was so much excitement both from her family members and university colleagues.
“My university lecturers were very proud of me. They held a launch for me at the university and even adopted the book for use in children’s literature,” says the only girl in a family of boys.
That was just the beginning for what was to be exciting times ahead for the book. When the Kenya Publishers Association announced that they were introducing the Wahome Mutahi Literary Prize, in 2006, in honour of the late humourist, EAEP entered Kingwa’s book for the competition.
She was pleasantly surprised when her book took third position behind Stephen Mugambi’s book Wait for me Angela (Kenya Literature Bureau). Onduko bw’ Atebe’s book The Verdict of Death, also by EAEP took the overall prize.
During this year’s Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature Awards, To Grasp at a Star won the overall prize in the youth category, beating Ken Walibora’s book Innocence Long Lost (Sasa Sema) to second position. Meja Mwangi’s book Boy Gift came in third.
The judging panel led by Prof Emilia Illieva of Egerton University was full of praises of the book.
“Kingwa Kamencu tells immensely interesting stories of young female adults who, under the impact of illusive ideas of success and glamour, get caught up in dangerous situations that nearly jeopardise the bright future they so much deserve by virtue of their outstanding qualities,” said Emillia.
Kingwa, who now works as a writer at the Media Institute, finished her undergraduate studies in August last year, where she graduated with First Class Honours. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Literature, a scholarship she got from the university.
She has attended various courses on writing including British Councils’ Crossing Borders programme. She has also volunteered during the Kwani Trust organised Litfest held in December last year.
She however thinks that more needs to be done to improve the literary situation in the country. “Writers need to be more serious in their writing and publishers need to market their products more,” she says. “Otherwise we will keep moaning about a poor reading culture forever.”
Anyang’ Nyong’o’s New Book

Posted: November 6, 2007, 4:44 pm by jngunjiri

Former Planning Minister Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o launched his new book A Leap into the Future: A Vision for Kenya’s Socio-political and Economic Transformation, at the Grand Regency on Wednesday October 10.
A Leap into the Future is a collection of speeches, essays and articles compiled during Prof Nyongo’s tenure as minister in the Narc government, and soon after. In the book, the author examines the challenges of development of development, analyses how Pan-African and global partnerships could facilitate development.
Prof Nyong’o also projects his vision for socio-political and economic transformation of the Kenya society in a bid to formulate an economic strategy capable of transforming the country to First World development.
The book is published by African Research and Resource Forum, with WordAlive Publishers as the consultants. Prof Nyong’o, who is currently ODM Secretary General, believes that if Africa is to lift itself from the current situation of economic stagnation, then African countries have to learn from the East Asian countries.
The book is in the form of essays Prof Nyong’o, presented over a four-year period (2002-2006), including when he was Planning minister.
Politics aside, Prof Nyong’o is considered to be one of the toughest thinkers to have come out of the African continent, and A Leap into the Future proves just that. While being incisive and convincing his arguments betray the fact that sufficient research and thought went into their crafting.
The book contains information that the author believes if followed to the latter would transform Kenya into an economic success. Finance, governance and economic students will find the ideas packed in the book to be of invaluable help.
With admirable insights, Prof Nyong’o proceeds to shatter some long-held myths as to why African countries lag behind in development. He also takes on global bodies like the UN, which on paper are mandated to help end suffering in the continent, but are instead pursuing policies that continuously subjugate the continent, while miring it in debt.
He however does not lose sight the fact that African leaders are to blame for the economic mess African countries find themselves in. The common denominator in all the essays is the fact that good governance is key to faster development.
And for good governance to be there, then a country’s politics have to be put in order. And on the local front, he gives a valuable peek into what went into the crafting the now famous MoU, which was disregarded by the Kibaki, once the Narc Government came into power in following the historic 2002 General Election.
On the subject of corruption, Prof Nyong’o sheds some light into what some figures in the Kibaki Government refer to as “The Scandal that never was” – Anglo Leasing.
Book Fair: lessons learnt

Posted: November 6, 2007, 4:37 pm by jngunjiri

With this year’s Book Fair over and done with, there are a few things that organisers and the book industry in general need to take into consideration. Granted that the Fair, which was in its tenth year, was relatively successful, there are lingering feelings that it would have been much better.
Anyone visiting this year’s edition of the Book fair at the Sarit Centre, in Westlands, must have noted the increase in the number of stands, which is a good thing for the industry. It shows that the book industry is expanding. However, with this expansion comes the issue of space. Any casual observer at the Fair must have noticed that the stands were actually cramped.
This came out clearly particularly on the days there was increased traffic. With so much traffic, moving around the exhibition hall became quite labourious, and this is not a good thing for the various exhibitors, some of whom felt that visitors did not spend quality time at their stands. Thus, they ended up not reaping the maximum benefits of the increased traffic.
Secondly, as a result of the increase in the number of exhibitors this year, there were some stands that were relegated to the hall at the back. These ones must have felt shortchanged as not every visitor to the place was aware that they were there in the first place. I for one had not noted that there were additional stands at the back until someone dragged me back there.
This situation is now asking serious questions as to whether the Sarit Centre Expo Centre is too small for the book exhibitors. Is it time for publishers to shop for a different venue? This is a question only publishers can answer.
There also have been concerns to the effect that the Fair would do well if it was to held in a more central place, where most people can access easily. The answer to such a venue naturally falls on KICC. But will publishers, known for their aversion to part with money, afford the fees, a revamped and professionalised KICC demands?
Still, publishers have to grapple with the concern that the Nairobi International Book Fair is not properly marketed. Kenyans are yet to see the kind of publicity blitz that usually accompanies fairs like the Motor Show, Homes Expo, among others, being lavished on the Book Fair. Apart from diehard book lovers, a majority of Nairobians would most likely tell you that they have never heard of the Book Fair.
Perhaps due to the fact that most of their money comes from text book publishing, the most part of marketing for the Fair is concentrated in schools. Publishers, as a matter of priority, need to move out of their over reliance on text book publishing and start paying more attetion to general publishing. That way they will be able to attract more of the general public to the Fair.
It is also worthy noting that publishers do not engage in aggressive marketing of their products (read books). It is no wonder that they keep whining about the poor reading habits of Kenyans, when they are not creating enough hype on their books. The Kalenjin People’s Egypt Origin Legend Revisited: Was Isis Asiis?, a historical book published by Longhorn Kenya, is a case in point.
Having read the book, Philip Ochieng wondered why nothing was being done to publicise the book. In his Sunday Nation column published on August 5 2007, he posed the following question “Why was a book of such significance to Africa published quetly in an African city and sneaked into its bookshops without a single word of publicity?”
The marketing aspect begs another question. Should the promotion and marketing of the Nairobi International Book Fair be placed in the hands of professional marketers in future? Over to you publishers.
The other aspect that begs attention regarding the Book Fair has to do with international publishers. For a Fair that boast of its international status, one would expect to find a fair number of international exhibitors. Sadly this is not the case with the NIBF. One of the core roles of book fairs is the rights trading, and that is where international publishers come in. That, in our case, means that very few of our publishers get to sell or buy international rights.
And this does not mean that there no books being published here that would interest audiences in other parts of the world. On the contrary there are many books published locally that would be of immense interest out there, but the publishers are not doing much to have them known. Who else can they blame other than themselves?
The same thing applies to award winning books. The very fact that a certain book has won an award - any award - is enough reason for it to be promoted as widely as possible. But sadly our award winning books rarely get the attention they deserve on the international front.
Perhaps the only Kenyan book that received worldwide attention courtesy of winning an award is Margaret Ogola’s book The River and the Source, (Focus Publishers) which bagged the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature in 1995. Today there are several international editions of the book doing rounds globally, including translations. However, that credit goes to the Commonwealth Writers Prize, which the book won the same year. It is organisers of the Commonwealth Prize who are the reason the book enjoys such international stature.
Speaking of prizes, lack of enough marketing also afflicts The Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, which is the premier books award in the country. Were the organisers of the award - The Kenya Publishers Association - to market it more aggresivelly then the winners would not be the obscure lot they are today.
Again the prize money awarded to the winners, KSh40,000 (US$597), is not motivating enough. More importantly, the controversies characterised in the judging of the books is one the award can do well without.
The second Wahome Mutahi Prize for Literature will be held at the end of next year’s book fair, and I am afraid the same depressing award money, if not less, will be dished out to the winners. Isn’t the memory of Wahome Mutahi aka Whispers worthy much more than that?