Sitawa Namwalie was feted at the All African Women Poetry Festival in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
The All African Women Poetry Festival was launched to celebrate African literature and literary legends, empowering African women, women of African descent, and the African Diaspora in 2023. It had a second run that continued educating youth and engaging with marginalized communities through sustainable events, programming, and projects.
This year, Nairobi was added to their host city itinerary signifying the “All Africa“ credentials with an event dubbed 3.1 at the Kenya National Theatre on Saturday afternoon. Anchored by founder Emma Ofosua, it featured poetry from Sitawa Namwalie, Kenya’s reigning Women Slam Champion Kazu (Winnie Madoro), and Nyash (Nyangari Macharia) who has performed at the All African Women Poetry Festival in the past. Apart from the performances, there was a panel discussion between the four who exchanged on the challenges women face in life and art.
At the centre was poet, playwright, and performing artist Sitawa Namwalie known for her unique dramatized poetry performances which combine poetry and classical Kenyan musical traditions. Her work includes non-fiction, short stories, dramatized poetry productions, plays, and musicals performed on many stages on the continent and abroad. They include Cut off My Tongue (2009), Homecoming (2010), Silence is a Woman, (2014), Black Maria on Koinange Street and Room of Lost Names (2015), Taking My Father Home (2023), and Stories from the Capital of Broken Hearts (2024).
The evening ended with Sitawa Namwalie being given a certificate and a trophy to signify her work in the artistic community. Namwalie thanked the festival for the accolade, promising it would drive her to greater heights.
Here are images from the event courtesy of Mwivanda Gloria.
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