eKitabu

Breaking barriers and making history! For the first time ever, the Braille Challenge has officially come to Africa. We are so incredibly proud of these brilliant students showcasing their literacy, speed, and accuracy. The future of inclusion is bright! #braillechallenge #inclusiveeducation

Late post May 10- part 1 On Saturday bright and early, @ekitabu @mvuapress pulled all the stops and hosted us for a yummy #bookclubbreakfast. It was a wholesome morning of connecting, trivia and author meets. It felt like an overdue reunion of the amazing reading community in Nairobi, Kilifi and even a rep from Jo'burg! See any familiar faces? Tag them in the comments.

Some scenes from After 4.30 the play with @brucemakau aka Nik aka “MY PERFECT HUSBAND” There’s a lady who came up to me after the show and told me how she hates My Perfect Husband. She said, “I don’t know him, I know he’s acting but I don’t like him. I can’t even look at him.” That’s how good Bruce is in this role! One thing I am enjoying with this play is how differently an actor can play around with moments! TAMUUU! Makes it even sweeter to do it with an actor who is equally enjoying playing on stage! @riki_is_msanii was my Nik on paper. Helped me get those lines because this is the kind of play you need to repeat your lines everyday - then he finally watched it and was STILL surprised. The play is still on today and tomorrow at Alliance Française . Shows at 6.30pm. Click the link in bio for tickets.

THE CITY SECRETS ARE OUT! Ever wondered what really happens After 4.30? 🌆 Come experience the raw, bold, and unfiltered stage adaptation of David G. Maillu’s classic. We’ve brought together a powerhouse cast to show you exactly why the city beats the way it does—and maybe finally answer that age-old question: Why do men lie? 🤥🔥 MEET THE CAST: ✨ Nice Githinji | Bruce Makau | Nyokabi Macharia | Dedan Juma | Vivian Kabono Directed by Mwaniki Njache, this is the 18+ theatrical experience Nairobi has been waiting for. PLAN YOUR NIGHT: 📅 Dates: May 15, 16 & 17 ⏰ Time: 6:30 PM Sharp 📍 Venue: Alliance Française de Nairobi 🔞 Rating: Strictly 18+ TICKET INFO: 🎟 Ticket Only: 1,500/= 📖 Ticket + Book: 2,500/= 📚 Book Only: 1,200/= Don’t wait for the “Sold Out” sign! Secure your spot now and join the conversation. 🔗 Tickets available at: https://after430.hustlesasa.shop #After430

Still thinking about the lovely Saturday I had. The conversations, the authors, and book lovers I had the pleasure of meeting. 🤍 Thank you @ekitabu for such a beautifully curated event truly a success.

At the African Forward Fest (AFF) 2026, we spoke about strengthening Kenya’s creative industry under the Creative Economy Bill 2026 with @janetmachuka_ and MC Ndungi, coordinated by @ekitabu and @KPC hosted by @alliancefrancaise . Nairobi holds an incredible amount of artistic talent and originality with strong international potential. What the industry needs now is stronger infrastructure around that talent: curatorial integrity, professionalism, artist development, transparency, and long-term investment. Collectors increasingly value provenance, documentation, quality presentation, and consistency. The future of the art market should not only revolve around events, but around cultural relevance, artistic integrity, and sustainable ecosystems that support artists beyond the spotlight. At Hyatt Regency Nairobi Westlands, I work with artists through long-term collaboration and storytelling. Artists are not treated as short-term contributors, but as creative partners. Through curation, visibility, networking, and professional presentation, we aim to create meaningful platforms that connect art with people, spaces, and purpose. One of the biggest challenges in Kenya remains the gap between artistic talent and professional infrastructure. Many artists still lack support in pricing, contracts, archiving, logistics, and representation. This is why stronger mentorship, transparent systems, collector education, and collaborations between institutions, corporates, and communities are essential. Looking ahead, I believe the future lies in building bridges: between artists and collectors, between creativity and business, between hospitality, design, public space, and social impact. Contemporary African art deserves thoughtful visibility on both local and international platforms. Creativity is not only cultural capital — it is also a powerful tool for economic and social transformation. Photography: Brian Umaka #AfricanForwardFest #TheArtOfConnection #SocialImpact #AfricanCreatives #hyattregencynairobiwestlands

About the weekend! Me in literary heaven 🤗❤️ Two book festivals in one weekend? Enough joy to keep me floating for a while.

Postcards from a powerful Sanaa with @kpc.foundation in collaboration with @ekitabu event at Alliance Française de Nairobi, where I had the honor of representing @icrw_africa ’s Behind The Scenes Project, a project dedicated to supporting young women navigating creative industries in partnership with @mastercardfoundation . We had honest conversations around the realities creatives face today: — limited access to marketing opportunities, — funding gaps, and the — ongoing challenge of monetizing creative work sustainably. But beyond the challenges, we also explored solutions, collaboration, and the importance of building stronger ecosystems for creatives to thrive. Cheers to the brands, NGOs, and corporations investing in capacity building, mentorship, and training for the next generation of creatives. The impact matters. Poncho by @ascili_ke #CreativeEconomy #WomenInCreativeSpaces #BehindTheScenesProject, Creatives, Creative Industry, Capacity Building, Women Creatives Nairobi Creatives, Sanaa Event

and thank you for being part of this literary movement! The Africa Forward Fest at Alliance Française de Nairobi has been an absolute dream for book lovers! It’s one thing to read a great story, but it’s another thing entirely to meet the authors in person, hear their journey, and take home a signed copy of their work. We’ve seen such an amazing gathering of brilliant minds—from legendary voices to the newest stars of African literature—all selling their books and chatting with fans. The atmosphere is buzzing with the love for African stories! Which authors did you manage to meet? Tag the books you’ve read (or just bought!) in the comments below so we can all find our next great read!

The festival is over, but the energy is still here. ✨ #AfricaForwardFest2026 #FestivalVibes #StillBuzzing #GoodTimes #Community Memories ForwardTogether

An excerpt from After 4.30 play by David Maillu which started the run this past weekend at Alliance Française. The play takes its final bow next weekend 15th-17th May. Bet is a character who has empowered me and broken my heart in equal measure. A classic written in the ’70s. You definitely know someone who knows this book. They probably all have extremely different opinions about it — and very different contexts too, if any. Catch it if you can before it closes next weekend. It’s a good/painful/honest/necessary watch. Tickets on @hustlesasa . Link in bio 📸 @_nitoh__

Africa Forward 2026, curtain call! Tumeifunga na ka-bang! 🙌🏾   For this final day, the festival came to a close with a beautiful finale that reflected everything we shared over the past few days. Inspiring conversations, vibrant slams, creative writing workshops, powerful performances, stories passed on, ideas sparked, and readers placed at the heart of every exchange. Vibez noma sana! ✨   We would like to warmly thank all our guests, speakers, moderators, illustrators, and everyone who contributed, directly or indirectly. Shukrani tele! Together, we created meaningful and sincere connections for the benefit of the entire book value chain.  #AfricaForward2026 #StoriesForward #ReadersForward #PublishingEcosystem #Literature #Storytelling #CreativeVoices #LanguagesAndStories #AfricanLiterature #NairobiEvents #AFF2026