There are moments when governments must be reminded that not everything is for sale. Some national assets carry values that cannot be measured in shillings and cents. That is why the proposal to privatise the Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) is part of a reckless, poorly informed, and dangerous gallery of ideas that should never have been entertained. To call it misguided would be an understatement. No! It is, quite frankly, criminal. To tamper with an institution that forms the intellectual backbone of our nation is to gamble with the future of our children and grandchildren. Let me explain. I am…
Author: By Egara Kabaji
Not long ago, my friend David Maillu invited me to his Mathemboni residence. I was excited to visit what I can only describe as the shrine of this mysterious and enigmatic writer. By all measures, Maillu is an enigma. For more than five decades, he has remained one of the most prolific writers Kenya has ever produced. When I was a master’s student at Kenyatta University, I once considered studying his works for my thesis. But I was quickly dissuaded. The argument was that he was “not a serious writer.” That judgment puzzled me. Long before I entered university, Maillu…
Kakamega Little Lillies school students showcase their skills during school career day on April 2, 2025. This is aligned with government CBC curriculum which aims to identify students carriers while they are still in school.[Benjamin Sakwa/ Standard] A few months ago, I organised a series of workshops in Kakamega County to confront a crisis that has long gone unattended: the lack of a strong culture of reading in our schools. I brought together language teachers from across the sub-counties to reflect on how to establish an extensive reading programme. My motivation was simple but sobering. Most students complete secondary school having only…
When I published my latest novel, Shadows of Love, I was reminded of something I had always suspected to be true. Kenyans read the things they love, not just because the school system forces them to, but because they genuinely enjoy reading those things. After completing the story, I handed it over to a small but dynamic publisher, InterCEN Books. The CEO of this firm, Barack Wandera, is a 29-year-old young man! Why did I take this risk? I was looking for someone who believed in the story, not just its potential to appear on a syllabus. When the book…
Nairobi Gen protester in action during June 25th protest anniversary. [Collins Oduor/ Standard] The youth are shaking the foundations of the status quo and demanding to be heard. We have witnessed with awe, and, I daresay, with a mixture of shock and trepidation, the remarkable political awakening of the youth. I think the Gen Z and millennial generations have risen, not merely to make noise or disturb the peace, but to demand accountability, justice, and a future they can believe in. Their voices have reverberated across the land, shaking the foundations of impunity and arrogance in the corridors of power.…
University of Nairobi Deputy vice chancellor academic affairs Ayub Gitau ,Tee Ngugi (son of Ngugi wa thiongo),East African Educational Publishers CEO Kiarie Kamau and Thiongo wa njinju during the Professor Ngugi wa thiongo celebrations of his life and literal works at the taifa hall , University of Nairobi on 20th June 2025. [David Gichuru, Standard] In life, there are matters that demand silence from us. This is not because they are not important, or that we do not care. It is just that they are sacred. I have been around for a long time to understand the African worldview. To…