Mumbi Macharia (born 1997) is a Kenyan performing spoken-word poet and writer. She published her first poetry collection, ''When I Learned How To Walk & Other Poems'', in 2020, and she is also known as a blogger, content creator and event curator. In 2021, aged 24, she was described by Citizen Digital in Kenya as one of the most sought-after spoken-word artists in the country, writing poetry that is "raw, vulnerable, and sultry".

Early years and education

Macharia was born and brought up in

Nairobi Nairobi is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Kenya. The city lies in the south-central part of Kenya, at an elevation of . The name is derived from the Maasai language, Maasai phrase , which translates to 'place of cool waters', a ...

, Kenya. She attended Nairobi International School, where her passion for spoken-word poetry began; as she has said: "Spoken word has been close to my heart from the time I was in high school." She received a bachelor's degree in Law from

Riara University Riara University is a Private University located along Mbagathi Way in Nairobi, Kenya. Location The university's main campus is just next to Nyayo Highrise Estate in Kibera, Nairobi County, a fifteen minutes drive from Nairobi Central Busines ...

in Nairobi, and went on to earn her MA in African Studies in 2024 at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen (, KU) is a public university, public research university in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia, after Uppsala University. ...

's Centre of African Studies, writing her thesis on "spoken word poetry as a site for expressing identity and belonging in Kenya". She subsequently began teaching

Kiswahili Swahili, also known as as it is referred to in the Swahili language, is a Bantu language originally spoken by the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique (along the East African coast and adjacent littoral i ...

as a foreign language at the Center of African Studies.

Career

Beginning her spoken-word career in 2016, Macharia has performed at Kwani? Open Mic, PAL (Poetry After Lunch) at the Kenya Cultural Center, and Slam Africa. Her debut poetry book, ''When I Learned How To Walk And Other Poems'', which contained 17 poems, was self-published in 2020, having in the same year won the Sondeka Award for Kenyan Spoken Word Poet of the Year. In 2021, she released her debut EP, entitled ''Libation'', dedicated to her Kenyan heritage, and comprising five poems. Macharia is also a social activist, and has written about a variety of issues, including the plight of commercial sex workers in Kenya. In May 2023, she spoke and performed her new poem "We Are The 1.8 Billion" at the

World Health Assembly The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the forum through which the World Health Organization (WHO) is governed by its 194 World Health Organization#Membership, member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of h ...

, where the Director-General of

WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has 6 regional offices and 15 ...

welcomed her as an "acclaimed poet and voice for youth and health". She is a contributor to the 2024 anthology ''Let Us Conspire and Other Stories'', edited by

Billy Kahora Billy Kahora is a Kenyan writer and editor based in Nairobi. He was commended by the 2007 Caine Prize judges for his story ''Treadmill Love''. His stories "Urban Zoning" and "Gorilla's Apprentice" were shortlisted for the prize in 2012 and 2014 ...

. The collection resulted from workshops hosted in May 2022 by Jahazi Press together with the creative writing teaching platform Saseni!, sessions being led by

Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (born 1968) is a Kenyan writer who is the author of novels, short stories and essays. She won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story "Weight of Whispers". Education and professional life Born in Nairobi, Ken ...

, Peter Kimani, Mikhail Iossel, and Prof Mohamed Bakari.

Awards and nominations

* 2016: Runner-up, Slam Africa * 2018: Nominee, Sondeka Awards, Best Spoken Word Artist * 2018: Poetry After Lunch Recognition Award * 2019: Nominee, Cafe Ngoma Awards, Spoken Word Poet of the Year * 2020: Winner, Sondeka Awards Best Spoken Word Poet * 2022: Winner
Sondeka Awards
Best Spoken Word Poet

References

External links

Mumbi Macharia
website
Mumbi Poetry
at

YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...

.
mumbipoetry
at

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"Mumbi Macharia on One World CNN sharing her poem Dear World Leaders with Eleni Giokos"

CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...

, 15 July 2021.
"Spoken Word Poet Mumbi Macharia Aka Mumbi Poetry Takes Us Through Her Poetry"
''Pulse Live Kenya'', 2 December 2021. {{DEFAULTSORT:Macharia, Mumbi Living people 1997 births 21st-century poets Kenyan bloggers Kenyan poets Kenyan women poets Spoken word poets