13 Comments

Great read. I will definitely check out his work. I wish your articles were sharable on social media

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Inbox me your Twitter handle and will often share with you that way too.

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Thanks Wanjiku. Recommend the page to your friends and those in your network so that we can build a community.

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Wow! Very informative! Do you know anything about his family? Someone mentioned to me that the late Mathew Gathigira, Kenya's preeminent revise editor (the editor who edited the editors) for the top two daily papers Daily Nation and The Standard and who also edited many reports and biographies, was either his son or his grandson...

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Thanks Wanjiku for you comments. You learn something new every day. A friend and senior editor pointed out this on FB. This is what Mugo Theuri said to answer your question:

"Msanii Kimani Wanyoike that is very rich history of Gikuyu literary history. I just want to bring to your attention that Stanley Kiama Gathigira, father of former editor in chief of The Standard Henry Gathigira wrote Miikarire Ya Agikuyu when Gakaara wa Wanjau was 12 years old. The book was printed by the Church of Scotland Mission at Tumu Tumu on 31st August, 1933. Gathigira comes from Ngaini, a short distance from Tumu Tumu and Gakaara's home. It is because of these people and the mission center that Mathira is referred to as Mathira ma Githomo. Thank you."

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Thank you for the updated information.

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Gakaara wa Wanjau was mercurial-an unparalleled pioneer.If we had maintained the tempo and the dream he had for our languages,they wont be in the current decline.Which has been occasioned by lack of publishers willing to publish in our mothertongue.Once again.illuminating piece.

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It would be really nice if these books can be reprinted and made available to many who would like to read them and even share with their children. This actually would be in line with the Constitution requirements on the need to promote local languages. Murang’a you county should take lead in this.

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Great article and a reintroduction to this great author. Hope some of his great works can get translated into other languages so that we can get to enjoy his brilliant writing!

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Thanks Felix for reading this piece. Appreciated. His book on the Mau Mau is insightful. You should read it.

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Msanii Kimani, you are prolific!! I will follow you in every writer's space!!! Asante sana!!

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Thanks Annemarie, thanks alot. I will try to keep em coming.

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Wow! Excited to have discovered this blog!

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