Ngugi wa Thiong'o, celebrated Kenyan author, dies aged 87

Renowned Kenyan author and academic Ngugi wa Thiong'o. [File,Standard]

Renowned Kenyan author and academic Ngugi wa Thiong'o has died aged 87 after a long battle with health complications, his family announced on Wednesday.

Ngugi, who had faced kidney issues and limited mobility in recent years, died on the morning of Wednesday, May 28. He had also been undergoing dialysis and previously battled prostate cancer since 1995. In 2019, he underwent triple bypass surgery.

"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, this Wednesday morning, May 28 2025. He lived a full life, fought a good fight. As was his last wish, let's celebrate his life and his work. Ria ratha na ria thua. Turi aira," said his daughter Wanjiku wa Ngugi in a social media post.

The family said Ngugi's final wish was that his life be celebrated rather than mourned.

A spokesperson, Nducu wa Ngugi, is expected to release details of his celebration of life soon.

Ngugi, born James Ngugi on January 5, 1938, was a towering figure in African literature, widely considered East Africa's leading novelist.

He was known for writing in both English and Gikuyu, and for promoting indigenous languages through literature.

His works include novels, essays, plays and short stories, often focusing on colonialism, cultural identity and the struggle for justice.

His short story The Upright Revolution: Or Why Humans Walk Upright has been translated into more than 100 languages.

In 1977, Ngugi and fellow writer Ngugi wa Mirii co-authored the play Ngaahika Ndeenda, which challenged Kenya's ruling elite and was shut down by the state just six weeks after its debut. He was later detained without trial for over a year. Amnesty International adopted him as a prisoner of conscience.

"Ngugi was never afraid to confront power using the written and spoken word," said Mukoma wa Ngugi, one of his sons and also a writer.

After his release, Ngugi went into exile and later taught in the United States, holding academic positions at Northwestern University, Yale University and New York University. He eventually became Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and English at the University of California, Irvine.

Throughout his life, Ngugi remained committed to decolonising literature and education in Africa. He founded the Gikuyu-language journal Mutiiri and continued writing well into his eighties, despite recurring health challenges.

Ngugi was long considered a leading candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He received several awards, including the 2001 International Nonino Prize and the 2016 Park Kyong-ni Prize.

He is survived by his children, among them authors Mukoma and Wanjiku wa Ngugi.