BY JOE MODIE
Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Kenya’s foremost writer is alive and well and enjoying the best of health. This is the message from close family members.
They were reacting to rumours that the writer, who is based in the US, is dead.
“Just got off the phone with pops, @NgugiWaThiongo_ and he is doing well – we shared a good laugh about his supposed demise. But good to see so many people caring,” wrote his son Mukoma wa Ngugi on his social media pages last evening.
His daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, also a writer, took to social media to set the record straight: “Just spoke with baba, Ngugi Wa Thiong’o. He is well, but cracked up at that rumor!”
Nducu wa Ngugi, another of his sons, also a writer, laughed off the rumour: “My father just cracked me up with a joke about some rumor!” he wrote on Facebook.
This morning, Munyao Kilolo, who is an administrator at the Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature, and a close associate of Ngugi, said the writer is busy translating his earlier literary works.
“As we do every other day, I had an excellent conversation with Prof Ngugi wa
Thiong’o last night. He is doing great. And in line with our restoration project at Ituika Literary Platform, he is translating his earlier books, originally written in English, into Gikuyu. As of last night, he was in chapter six of The River Between. We also discussed at length the excellent plans for African language writing and translation projects we have for the coming year!”
Ngugi is 83.
About two months ago Kenyans woke up to rumours of the death of former Constitutional Affairs minister, Charles Njonjo, which were quickly dispelled by the family.