Ken was born Kennedy Walibora Waliaula in 1965 in Bungoma County. Omusinde wa Ruth Nasambu Makali, grew up to accolades such as: ‘Kenyan Shakespeare’, ‘king of Swahili’, ‘Swahili legend’, ‘literal genius’, ‘polished broadcaster’, ‘prolific writer’, ‘leading light in African literature’ among others.
News reports on the morning of 15th April 2020 confirmed the worst: Dr. Ken Waliabora had met his death on Good Friday the 10th of April 2020 when he was knocked down by a matatu on Landhies road in the Kenyan capital Nairobi.
Following days of searching by his family and friends, his body was found at the mortuary in Kenyatta National Hospital, a John Doe. It is true what they say about death: it has no shame. An ignominious end for a tower of a man who on his twitter handle, @KenWalibora, was modest in his description of self:
“Mwanariwaya, Mwanatamthilia, Mhakiki, Msomi, Swahili novelist, poet, playwright, literary and cultural scholar.”
Books by Ken Walibora Waliaula
Ken Walibora was a prolific omunying’inyi (writer) authoring and co-authoring over 20 titles. It is through this gift of writing that his calling as omwekesia (teacher) came to life. Here are some of the works by Ken Walibora.
Swahili titles by Ken Walibora
- Siku Njema, 1996
- Ndoto ya Amerika, 2003
- Mtu wa Mvua, 2004, children’s story.
- Diwani ya Karne Mpya, 2005, edited anthology of Swahili poetry.
- Mwongozo wa mwisho wa kosa, 2005, literary guide to Swahili novel Mwisho wa Kosa.
- Kufa Kuzikana, 2006
- Mgomba Changaraweni, 2006, a teen story in inrequitted love.
- Kiti cha Moyoni na Hadithi Zingine, 2007
- Chapuchapu, 2008
- Damu Nyeusi na Hadithi Nyingine, 2008
- Kisasi Hapana, 2009,
- Hazina Bora, 2009, Children’s story thematizing deliquence and truancy.
- Ahsante ya Punda, 2009, a play.
- Upande Mwingine, 2010, a Novella thematizing homecoming.
- Sina Zaidi, 2011, Anthology of short stories co-edited with Iribemwangi.
- Waja Leo: Diwani ya Mashairi, 2012
- Kidagaa Kimemwozea, 2012
- Ndoto ya Almasi, 2012
- Maskini Milionea Na Hadithi Nyingine, 2012, which he co-authored with Mohammed Khelef hassany (contributor), and Hamisi Babusa (contributor), Hassan Adam (contributor).
- Furaha ya Arope, 2013
- Naskia Sauti ya Mama, 2014, a childhood memoir.
- Mbaya Wetu, 2014
- Nimeshindwa Tena, 2015
- Hazina Bora, 2016
- Pepela na Mto, 2016
English titles by Ken Walibora
- Innocence Long Lost, 2005
- Bobby The Dog, 2008
- The American Dream (Translation of the 2003 Swahili title ‘Ndoto ya Amerika’), 2013
- Narrating Prison Experience: Human Rights, Self, Society, and Political Incarceration in Africa, 2013
Accomplished scholar
Omwekesia Prof. Ken Walibora Waliaula once described himself as:
“First and foremost I see myself as a creative writer, then a literary and cultural studies scholar and lastly as a Kiswahili media expert.”
Prof. Waliaula holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Cultural Studies from the Ohio State University, USA. He has served as an Assistant Professor of African Languages and Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA between August 2009 and September 2013.
Some of Prof’s publications include:
- Negotiating Local Knowledge: Kiswahili and attitudes towards disability
- “The afterlife of Oyono’s Houseboy in the Swahili Schools Market: To be or not to be faithful to the Original.”
- “Remembering and disremembering in Africa,” Curator:
- “Uhalisia na uhalisiamazingaombwe: mshabaha kati ya Dunia Yao cha S.A. Mohamed na The Tin Drum cha Gunter Grass”
At the time of his death, Prof. Waliaula was a senior lecturer at Riara University where he also served as the director of the Global and Language Studies Centre.
Early life
Walibora studied at St Joseph Primary School a Catholic school in Webuye town.
He then went to Teremi, Suremi secondary schools, before proceeding to Ole kajiado High School for his O Levels and later Koelel for his A Levels.
The writer was enrolled at the University of Nairobi in 2004 where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Swahili studies and graduated with a first class honours.
A true son of Mulembe: Walibora’s life manifesto was driven by the philosophy of the spirit of mulembe
We have described the spirit of mulembe in a myriad of ways: from it being a worldview that respects nature as life itself; to an ethos that cements the inviolability of human life. But we never could capture it as succinctly as the late Prof. Ken Walibora could:
Like all humans I make mistakes from time to time, I regret them, and I apologize, but most importantly, I learn from them and move on. I strive to attain more humility in all spheres of my life in good times and bad times, and to always avoid being prejudicial and celebrating another person’s crisis or calamity. I want to appreciate people more and not to judge them harshly by relying on one-sided sources.
Ken Walibora Waliaula 1965- 2020
Here at mulembenation.co.ke our thoughts and love goes out to Prof. Ken Walibora’s family, friends, the academia and the media fraternity. Omwami, Rest In Peace.
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Additional reporting: The Star
