In 2015, Spotlight Publishers organized a creative writing workshop for teachers in the RV, in Bomet town. I shared the podium with Prof. Ken Walibora
and Dr. Tim Arege Intereba. In his presentation, it became clear that Ken was a passionate and articulate advocate of African languages. When he rose to speak, he greeted the huge audience in Kibukusu, adding that nothing made him prouder than to hear an African language. He said that whereas he was highly proficient in English, he was most comfortable writing in Kiswahili. Like Ngugi, Ken believes that the African rennaisaance will and must begin with linguistic decolonization. And his books attest to his artistic and linguistic prowess: He plays with words with the dexterity with which JJ Masiga would dance with the ball. His artistic output elevates Kenyan literature to the realm of the universal. Having recently buried my mum, I have no more tears to mourn Ken, the urbane, erudite, sharply dressed, sagacious, warm, pleasant, prolific writer and broascaster. I celebrate him.Posted by Mark M. Chetambe on Wednesday, 15 April 2020
Also see By his ‘royal demeanour’, Ken redefined the image of a writer published on the Sunday Nation, April 19, 2020.