Kakamega Book Festival 22

A snapshot of the inaugural Kakamega Book Festival

The first edition of the Kakamega Book Festival, brought to you by the Kakamega Book Club, ran on Saturday, May 21, 2022. The theme was “to celebrate books and their impact on our lives.”

The Kakamega Book Club was founded in the western Kenyan town by writer, academic, and broadcaster Egara Kabaji in 2018. Since then, it has become the centre of a lot of literary discussions in Kakamega county with enthusiasts coming from within the town and even further afield from different towns and counties.

The team at the Kakamega Book Club decided to run the first book festival in that part of the country on May 21. The event, hosted at the Wanda Gardens, had a series of activities celebrating the written word starting with the meeting of the book club as they chatted about the book of the month All my friends have Issues by Amanda Anderson.

Kakamega Book Club in session
Kakamega Book Club in session

Other activities were poetry performances from several readers mainly from the book club as they read either their own personal work or from others. There was also a storytelling session where those who had gathered were asked to share interesting stories, from their lives or that they could come up with, that was one of the best sessions of the day.

Brendah Kabindio receives a gift
Brendah Kabindio receives a gift

One of the most moving events of the day was a session dedicated to Brendah Kabindio who had been working for Masinde Muliro University for many years and now has a new role at the Karatina University. The members of the Kakamega Book Club all celebrated her in speech and wished her all the best in her new assignment and then cut a cake in her honour.

Intercen Books' Barack Wandera gives a story
Intercen Books’ Barack Wandera gives a story

The early evening had a keynote referred to as a “Pep Talk” on “A Reflection on Love and Happiness” delivered by the host Egara Kabaji. It continued with fireside storytelling where people had a drink by the fireside and shared stories late into the evening.

Kakamega Book Festival book stand
Kakamega Book Festival book stand

As you would expect at a book festival, there were opportunities for those who wish to buy books with a stand manned by staff at Intercen Books as well as Kenyan writing’s biggest literary supporter Lexa Lubanga who was representing Wazalendo Books.

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One response to “A snapshot of the inaugural Kakamega Book Festival

  1. […] In 2022, the Kakamega Book Club hosted the inaugural Kakamega Book Festival at the Wanda Gardens in Kakamega. With book discussions, poetry recitals, and loads more at the first major book festival in the town in Western Kenya a great time was had by those who attended. Read our reporting on that event by clicking here. […]

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