The schedule for the NYrobi Book Fest 2023 to take place at Alliance Française de Nairobi to run from October 13 – 15, 2023 is now public.
The Alliance Française in Nairobi successfully hosted the NYrobi Book Fest at their venue in the city’s Central Business District in 2021 and 2022. The 2023 edition aims to connect publishers, distributors, authors, illustrators, artists, and readers and spread interest in the culture of reading and writing, as well as encourage the sharing of new trends and ideas.
Special Guest
The festival’s special guest is Rémy Ngamijé, a Rwandan-born Namibian writer and founder of Doek, an independent arts organization in Namibia supporting the literary arts. His debut novel, The Eternal Audience of One’ received a Special Mention at the inaugural Grand Prix Panafricain de Littérature in 2022. Rémy is the winner of the Africa Regional Prize of the 2021 Commonwealth Short Story Prize and was shortlisted for the AKO Caine Prize for African Writing in 2021 and 2020.
The Schedule
Friday, October 13
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Book Talk: My Life in Crime with John Kiriamiti, Mbugua Ngunijiri, and Makena Onjerika.
This year’s festival kicks off with a conversation with the author of the Kenyan classic My Life in Crime, a semi-autobiography by John Kiriamiti, released in 1984 by East African Educational Publishers, which recently scored highly on the Netflix Kenya poll on ‘Which Kenyan book would you like to see adapted into a film?’
Saturday, October 14
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Panel: Victor Ndula and Celeste Wamiru moderated by Msanii Kimani from Kymsnet Media Network Panelists:
11.40 pm to 1:00 pm
Book launch: The Twins- An African Gender Story
The comic book The Twins- An African Gender Story will be launched. Engage with renowned Kenyan authors of the comic book: Jemimah Njuki, Celeste Wamiru, Peter Irungu & Wacuka Mungai. Moderated by Msanii Kimani from Kymsnet Media Network.
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm.
Panel: TELL YOUR STORY: Navigating the Media Landscape as a Self-Published Author with Ian Denis and Eunice Kilonzo moderated by Zachary Kamau.
This panel will help you understand the inner workings of mainstream media. Learn tips and tricks to attract media coverage. Discover the secrets to securing media interviews. Uncover the profound impact of book reviews. Navigate the digital media landscape like a pro.
4:00pm – 4:45pm
Conversation with Remy Ngamije Moderated by the versatile John Sibi-Okumu.
5:00 pm – 5:45 pm
Panel: The Future of African Journals: A discussion with Rémy Ngamijé (Doek), Thom Ogonga (Nairobi Contemporary), Linda Musita (Down River Road), and Garnette Oluoch-Olunya (Jahazi) moderated by John Sibi-Okumu.
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
A Final Showdown by Ngartia The Storyteller
A Final Showdown is a gripping tale that takes you back to the intense crime scene of 1970s Nairobi. Danson Gachui – the infamous robber. Patrick Shaw – the relentless vigilante. Their paths collide in a tragic showdown that will leave one dead, the other a legend, and the entire city forever changed. Prepare to be captivated by a narrative that unravels the very fabric of law and order in Nairobi.
Sunday, October 15
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm.
Storytelling
Wangari The Storyteller will be giving a children’s storytelling performance “A Story! Let It Come!”
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Cosplay Showcase: The Francophonie Edition with Naiccon Kenya
A brief history of French/Francophone comics and a glimpse into the world of cosplay (costume play), a performance art/costume role-playing. Get ready for an afternoon of fun with Francophonie-inspired characters and creativity.
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