Francis Davis Imbuga was born in Wenyange village, West
Maragoli
The Maragoli, or Logoli (''Ava-Logooli''), are now the second-largest ethnic group of the 6 million Luhya nation in Kenya, numbering around 2.1 million, or 15% of the Luhya people according to the last Kenyan census. Their language is calle ...
in
Western Kenya
Western Province () was one of Kenya's seven administrative provinces outside Nairobi. It is inhabited mainly by the Luhya people. Quakerism is widely practised here. Kenya's second highest mountain, Mount Elgon is located in Bungoma Distr ...
in 1947. He was a Kenyan writer, playwright, literature scholar, teacher and professor at
Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University (KU) is a public university with its main campus in Nairobi, Kenya. It acquired the status of university in 1985, being the third university after University of Nairobi (1970) and Moi University (1984). As of October 2014, it ...
. His works, including ''
Aminata''
/sup> and ''Betrayal in the City'', /sup> have become staples in the study of literature schools in Kenya
Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...
.
His works have consistently dealt with issues such as the clashes of modernity and tradition in the social organisation
In sociology, a social organization is a pattern of relationships between and among individuals and groups. Characteristics of social organization can include qualities such as sexual composition, spatiotemporal cohesion, leadership, structu ...
of African communities. His play ''Betrayal in the City'' was Kenya's entry to FESTAC
The World Festival of Black Arts (French: ''Festival Mondial des Arts Nègres''), also known as FESMAN or FMAN, has been a series of month-long culture and arts festivals taking place in various parts of Africa. The festival features participant ...
.
Education
He attended Keveye Primary school and Chavakali Intermediate School. In 1963 he joined Alliance High School. Imbuga studied at the University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi (uonbi or UoN; ) is a college, collegiate research university based in Nairobi and is the largest List of universities and colleges in Kenya, university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution dat ...
where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...
in 1973 and a Master of Arts degree
A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
in 1975. In 1992, he received a Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...
degree from the University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...
.
Career
Imbuga started his career as an actor at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation
Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is the state-run media organisation of Kenya. It broadcasts in English and Swahili, as well as in most local languages of Kenya.
The corporation was launched as a radio service in 1928 when Kenya was a B ...
in 1970. He left this post in 1973 and in 1976 he became a lecturer in the Department of Educational Communication and Technology at the University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi (uonbi or UoN; ) is a college, collegiate research university based in Nairobi and is the largest List of universities and colleges in Kenya, university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution dat ...
. He later joined Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University (KU) is a public university with its main campus in Nairobi, Kenya. It acquired the status of university in 1985, being the third university after University of Nairobi (1970) and Moi University (1984). As of October 2014, it ...
as professor of literature, holding the posts of Dean of the Literature Department, Dean of Arts and Director of Quality Assurance. Imbuga was an honorary Fellow of the University of Iowa
The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...
International Writing Programme.
Imbuga started writing plays in 1969. His play Omolo was chosen as an entry in the Kenya National School's Drama Festival finals.
Imbuga diedstroke
Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
.
Membership
He was a member of the Kenya National Theatre
Kenya National Theatre is part of the Kenya Cultural Centre, a Semi Autonomous Government Agency under the Ministry of State for National Heritage and Culture in Kenya. It is mandated to offer space for the rehearsal and staging of productions to ...
and the International Writing Program.
Works
* ''The Fourth Trial'' (1972)
* ''Kisses of Fate'' (1972)
* ''The Married Bachelor'' (1973)
* ''Betrayal in the City'' (1976)
* ''Games of Silence'' (1977)
* ''The Successor'' (1979)
* ''Man of Kafira'' (1984)
* '' Aminata'' (1988)
* ''The Burning of the Rags'' (1989)
* ''Shrine of Tears'' (1992)
* ''Miracle of Remera'' (2004)
* ''The Green Cross Of Kafira'' (2013)
References
Academic staff of Kenyatta University
Kenyan writers
Kenyan male writers
1947 births
2012 deaths
International Writing Program alumni
University of Nairobi alumni
Alumni of Alliance High School (Kenya)
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