Nairobi: The State Department for Culture and Heritage, in collaboration with the Kenya National Library Services (KNLS), has embarked on plans to establish a Hall of Fame to honour and celebrate Kenya’s literary heroes. The Hall of Fame, to be located at the Sanaa Center Auditorium at KNLS Maktaba Kuu Headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi, will be dedicated specifically to showcasing the literary works of renowned authors.
According to Kenya News Agency, Principal Secretary (PS) Ummi Bashir emphasized the significance of this initiative, stating that the establishment of the site, a first in the country, is a means to celebrate authors who have profoundly impacted the nation. She highlighted that the Hall of Fame will act as a repository of cultural memory, shaping national identity and providing a platform for reflection on past events.
The site aims to preserve the memory of literary scholars and authors such as Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Ali Mazrui, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Prof. Grace Ogot, and Joseph Muthee, who authored “Mau Mau Detainee,” among others. Speaking at a History Conference at the University of Embu, PS Bashir expressed concern that without such a site, the names and contributions of these figures risk being forgotten over time.
She asserted that the Hall of Fame will offer a centralized location for visitors to connect with the works and legacies of these great scholars, inspiring current and future generations to pursue excellence in literature and storytelling.
PS Bashir further explained that the initiative seeks to induct Kenya’s literary icons into the Hall of Fame by documenting their biographies and works in a digitized format. The Auditorium will also serve to preserve artefacts, many of which are at risk of being lost or have been stolen, particularly during the precolonial era.
Additionally, PS Bashir commended the University of Embu for acknowledging the contributions of Prof. Stanley Mwaniki in emphasizing the importance of oral tradition as a source of historical knowledge. Prof. Mwaniki’s works, such as “Embu Traditional Songs and Dances” and “Roots, Migrations and Settlement of Mount Kenya Peoples: Focus on The Embu,” have been pivotal in documenting and interpreting the oral traditions of the Embu community.
