President William Ruto has joined Kenyans and the rest of the world in mourning celebrated writer, playwright, and public intellectual Prof Ngugi wa Thiong’o.
Ngugi breathed his last on Wednesday morning, May 28, 2025, aged 87, in the United States of America, where he had settled.
Taking to social media, President Ruto mourned the novelist as courageous, lauding him for his indelible impact on how people think about independence, social justice as well as the uses and abuses of political and economic power.
"In his bold and creative career, Prof Thiong'o showed us how to make contributions that cannot be ignored and speak in ways that both supporters and opponents cannot ignore. His patriotism is undeniable, and even those who disagree with him will admit that Prof Thiong'o's discourse always sprang forth from a deep and earnest quest for truth and understanding, devoid of malice, hatred or contempt," said President Ruto.The head of state regretted that Thiong’o never received the coveted Nobel Prize for Literature, despite being more than deserving.
"He will always remain the champion of literary emancipation and innovation in our hearts and minds. May his family find peace and comfort in this period of mourning, and may Prof Thiong'o rest in eternal peace," he added.The novelist is famed for books like A Grain of Wheat, Petals of Blood, Devil on the Cross and The River Between.
