Young Kenyan writers taking part in Literary Festival

An author's desk [iStockphoto]

Seven young Kenyan writers will share the limelight with internationally acclaimed authors who have been invited to the Macondo Literary Festival (MLF).

They are Alexis Teyie, Scholastica Moraa, Scholar Akinyi, Buke Abduba, Khadija Abdalla Bajaber, Kiprop Kimutai and Hassan Santur. The list will also feature performance poets Mufasa, Nyash, Slim Shaka and Stella Kivuti.

Visual storytellers Yvonne Muinde and Naddya Adhiambo Oluoch-Olunya will perform as well as dance choreographer Adam Chienjo.

Researchers and scholars Mshai Mwangola, Godwin Siundu and Dino Martins, and guest scholars Bhakti Shringarpure (US) and Zulfikar Hirji (Canada) will also feature in the proceedings.

International authors include Chigozie Obioma of Nigeria, Janika Oza and MG Vassanji of Canada; and Hamza Koudri of Algeria. Others are Shubhangi Swarup (India), João Melo (Angola), Johary Ravaloson (Madagascar/ France), Shubnum Khan (South Africa) and Jeferson Tenório (Brazil).

The Festival, whose theme is The Sea is History, will take place at the Kenya Cultural Centre from September 20 to 22.

The Sea is History, is inspired by a poem of the same title by Caribbean Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott.

“While the 2023 festival celebrated literature of all of the African continent's linguistic currents—hosting authors who write in English, Portuguese, French, and Arabic—the 2024 edition will extend the festival’s geographic reach to the spheres of the Swahili Sea and the Indian Ocean,” reads a statement from the organisers.

“The Sea is History, pays tribute to this oceanic region’s historical connections with Africa that exist in story, art, technology, cultural memories, and society. From inception, Macondo Literary Festival’s anchor was and is African histories and futures from African perspectives in literature,” adds the statement.

The Kenyan writers will participate in the ‘Kenya Writes’ session, which will feature writers Scholastica Moraa, Scholar Akinyi, Buke Abduba, Alexis Teyie, and Kiprop Kimutai in a format that highlights the vibrant literary scene unravelling in Kenya today.

The session will be held on Sunday, September 22, at the Auditorium of the Kenya Cultural Centre. Mercy Kirui, eKitabu’s Senior Publishing Content Manager, will facilitate the conversation as the host.

"The Kenya Writes panel will delve into the richness of African literature today, exploring the stories that define us and the voices that bring our diverse cultures to life,” said Ms Kirui.

“We aim to highlight the transformative power of books in Africa, not just as a means of storytelling, but as a vital tool for expression and envisioning our collective future from a uniquely Kenyan point of view."

The writers

Scholastica Moraa has a passion for poetry and stories. She expertly weaves her poems to present the full mix of emotions associated with love. Her poetry collection, Beautiful Mess, has been translated into Italian.

It has also been converted into audio format by eKitabu. Moraa, who studied actuarial science at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University, won the 2022 Kendeka Prize for African Literature with her short story Chained.

Her work has been featured in reputable magazines such as the Konch Online Magazine and Imbiza. She also writes for children.

Buke Abduba is a Kenyan writer and pharmacist who was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2023. Her work has been featured in publications like Adda Stories, Lolwe, and an East African short story anthology Let Us Conspire and Other Stories.

She is currently working on a manuscript with a vision to authentically reflect the lives and experiences of people in her community.

Alexis Teyie is an artist and researcher. Previous books include a poetry chapbook, Clay Plates: Broken Records of Kiswahili Proverbs, and a children's book, Shortcut. Teyie was one of the co-founders of Enkare Review and currently works with Down River Road (DRR). They also provide advisory for non-profits and start-ups.

Kiprop Kimutai is a rising Kenyan writer who won the 2023 Graywolf African Fiction Prize for his manuscript The Freedom of Birds, set to be published by Graywolf Press in 2026.

His fiction has appeared in No Tokens, The Johannesburg Review of Books, Kwani?, Evergreen Review, and Jalada Africa. A 2023 Miles Morland scholar and a finalist for the 2018 Gerald Kraak Award, Kimutai’s work is known for its cultural depth and emotional resonance, making him a notable voice in contemporary African fiction.

Scholar Akinyi is an award-winning writer. In her debut book, Hop, Skip, and Jump, she brings to light the experiences of children caught up in Kenya’s 2008 post-election violence, emphasizing the importance of including children in discussions that shape a country's history.

Akinyi's work has earned her the YouthHubAfrica Flash Fiction Award, and she was shortlisted for the inaugural African Writers Awards in Flash Fiction. She served as Editor-in-Chief of Writers Space Africa (2023-2024) and currently works as an editor at Oxford University Press, East Africa.