President Ruto mourns 'literary giant' Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Kenya's President William Ruto has led his nation in mourning the death of Prof. Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, a renowned writer and one of Africa’s towering intellectuals.

Ngugi, passed away on Wednesday, May 28, in California at the age of 87.

According to his daughter Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ, the celebrated Kenyan author died from complications related to kidney failure.

In a moving tribute shared on X (formerly Twitter), President Ruto described the late Ngũgĩ as a “towering giant of Kenyan letters” and a courageous thinker whose work shaped Kenya’s cultural and political consciousness.

"I have learnt with sadness about the death of Kenya's beloved teacher, writer, playwright, and public intellectual, Prof Ngugi wa Thiong'o. The towering giant of Kenyan letters has put down his pen for the final time," Ruto wrote.

Ngũgĩ's death marks the end of a prolific literary journey that began in the early 1960s with the publication of Weep Not, Child, the first English-language novel by an East African.

He went on to write several landmark works, including The River Between, A Grain of Wheat, and Petals of Blood novels that fiercely critiqued colonialism and the failures of post-independence governance.

“Always courageous, he made an indelible impact on how we think about our independence, social justice as well as the uses and abuses of political and economic power,” Ruto noted.

Throughout his life, Ngũgĩ was a staunch advocate for African languages, later choosing to write primarily in Gikuyu as a form of decolonisation. He also endured imprisonment and exile for his outspoken political views.

“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,” the President added.

“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.”

Ngũgĩ was long considered a frontrunner for the Nobel Prize in Literature, a recognition many Kenyans hoped he would receive during his lifetime.

“Many Kenyans cannot remember a time when we were not united in the hope that Prof Thiong'o would finally receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, which we all felt he more than deserved,” said Ruto.

Despite that omission, President Ruto affirmed that Ngũgĩ’s literary and ideological legacy remains indelible.

“He will always remain the champion of literary emancipation and innovation in our hearts and minds,” he concluded.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ confirmed her father's passing and shared one of his final wishes: to celebrate his life and work.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o this Wednesday morning, 28th May 2025. He lived a full life, fought a good fight. As was his last wish, let's celebrate his life and his work. Rîa ratha na rîa thŭa. Tŭrî aira!”

As tributes continue to pour in from around the world, Kenya prepares to honour one of its greatest sons, a man who used the written word to challenge power, celebrate identity, and imagine freedom.