Two years after KPA was formed (1972) members felt there was a need to establish a literary prize, which would encourage and reward creativity in Kenya. Thus, in 1974, the first edition of Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature was held and Meja Mwangi’s book, Kill Me Quick won in the English category. Sauti ya Dhiki, by Abdulatif Abdallah won the Kiswahili category.
Dr. Chakava recalls that at the time of winning the award, Abdulatif had just been released from detention for writing another book Kenya Twaenda Wapi? (Where is Kenya headed?), which was a stinging criticism of the government.
After the first award, the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature did not last for long as is was faced with financial constraints as it lacked support from members.
In 1990, the association announced that it was ready to re-introduce the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature under the sponsorship of Text Book Centre. TBC had donated Sh200,000 for the Prize. Mr. C.D. Shah of Text Book Centre says that the publisher’s body approached them for the support, which they agreed. “Our relationship with publishers was cordial,” he says. “Being the biggest booksellers at that time, we were their biggest customers. Again we felt that it was good publicity for us.”
Text Book Centre had been in the business of selling books since 1950s, thereby making them the oldest booksellers. The revival of the award was the initiative of Dr. Chakava, and who was the KPA chairman, together with Maneklal Rughani and S.V. “Bachu” Shah of Text Book centre. Serah Mwangi of Focus Publishers played a key role of roping in TBC.
In 1992, the prize was revived and Wahome Mutahi’s book Three Days on the Cross shared the first prize with David Maillu’s The Broken Drum. In 1995, the first prize went to Margaret Ogola, for her book, The River and the Source. Second prize went to Marjorie Oludhe’s book Homing In. Third prize went to Paradise Farm by Sam Kahiga. The River and the Source went on to win the Commonwealth Writers prize the same year.
In 1997, the first prize went to Ngumi Kibera’s book Grapevine Stories, with the first Kiswahili prize going to Emmanuel Mbogo’s Vipuli vya Figo. Ezekiel Alembi’s book Settling the Score won in the children’s category.
In 1999, judges decided that the books that had been submitted lacked creativity and therefore did not award any prize.
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