Kenya is today reflecting on the life and legacy of one of its most celebrated literary and intellectual icons, Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. As tributes continue to pour in following his passing, many are revisiting key moments that defined his journey—from imprisonment and exile to his triumphant return to a changed homeland. One such pivotal moment came in 2003, during a wave of democratic reforms, when Ngũgĩ’s return marked a profound national and academic renaissance.
The following excerpt, written by Fwamba NC Fwamba, captures the significance of that moment:
“When President Mwai Kibaki was sworn into office in 2003, the winds of change swept across the land. Hope returned. Among his first and boldest declarations was the unconditional return of all political exiles—a decisive break from the long, repressive shadows of the Moi and Kenyatta eras. Kibaki’s reformist spirit didn’t stop there. He dismantled the authoritarian hold over institutions of higher learning by declining the chancellorship of all public universities—a symbolic and practical gesture of autonomy. In his place, at the University of Nairobi, Dr. Joe Barrage Wanjui was appointed Chancellor. That single decision started the rebirth of academia in Kenya. Our universities, long muzzled and diminished under state control, found their voice again. And with that voice, came a renewed struggle for justice and democratic expression.
It was in that same year, 2003, that we—the students—rose up to demand the unconditional lifting of the ban on SONU (Students Organisation of Nairobi University) and the reinstatement of all suspended and expelled comrades whose academic lives had been unjustly severed during the previous regime. We had seen enough of repression. We knew the time for justice had come. The student body, energized and determined, entrusted me with their voice, electing me as Vice Chairman of SONU on the 7th of March 2003. That victory wasn’t just mine—it was the embodiment of a generational yearning for dignity, intellectual freedom, and democracy. Then came one of the most powerful moments of my life. Among the exiles returning home was one of Kenya’s greatest literary and intellectual giants—Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. His exile had begun in 1982, following the publication and performance of his radical, community-based play *Ngaahika Ndeenda* (*I Will Marry When I Want*), which fiercely challenged the postcolonial elite and their betrayal of the poor. For that, he was imprisoned without trial by the Kenyatta regime and later forced into exile. After over two decades abroad—teaching in world-renowned institutions such as Yale, New York University, and the University of California, Irvine—Ngũgĩ finally returned to his homeland. His first stop? The University of Nairobi—his last station of duty before exile. It was deeply symbolic.
It was homecoming. We, the students, hosted him. I remember the energy in the Taifa Hall, the swelling pride in the air, and the emotion in his voice. He delivered a searing, soul-stirring inaugural public lecture titled ‘Remembering Africa.’ That moment was more than academic. It was spiritual. It was revolutionary. It was Kenya finally beginning to reconcile with its broken intellectual history. We celebrated Ngũgĩ not just as a returning son but as a long-lost hero of resistance, an architect of African consciousness who had paid the price of truth-telling. His presence reminded us that universities are not ivory towers; they are battlegrounds for ideas, for justice, for the soul of a nation. That year, under Kibaki’s democratic wave, universities reclaimed their place as nurseries of democracy. And today, as we bid farewell to Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, our hearts are heavy, but our spirits are ignited. Kenya has lost a literary lion, a revolutionary intellect, and a global voice of justice. His radical teachings—his insistence on writing in Gikuyu, his critiques of imperialism, his unrelenting advocacy for language as resistance—have left a permanent mark on the global stage. Rest in eternal peace, Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. You taught us to decolonise the mind, to remember Africa, and to never stop dreaming of justice. You are home now. And your legacy is forever.”
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s return in 2003 marked a turning point not only for the academic community but for the national consciousness. His homecoming served as a reminder of the enduring power of intellectual freedom, cultural pride, and resistance to oppression. As the nation bids farewell to a literary icon, his influence continues to resonate challenging future generations to rethink history, embrace indigenous voices, and pursue justice without fear.
Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o is remembered not only as a writer and scholar but as a revolutionary mind whose ideas will continue to inspire across continents and generations.
