Sunday

Sunday 1PM Louis Leakey Auditorium

Peter Godwin, Juliet Barnes and John Sibi-Okumu

Growing Up White African

Zimbabwean Peter Godwin is author of Mukiwa: A White Boy in Africa, a memoir about growing up in Southern Rhodesia in the 1960s and 1970s during the Rhodesian Bush War. It was described by the Boston Globe as ‘devastatingly brilliant’ and ‘one of the best memoirs to come out of Africa’. Kenyan author Juliet Barnes wrote The Ghosts of Happy Valley, a history of Kenya’s Happy Valley houses, in which she explores their ‘tragedy, scandal and dubious legacy’. They swap stories about growing up White African. In conversation with our favourite black mzungu, John Sibi-Okumu.

Sunday 1PM Storymoja Amphitheatre

Teju Cole, Keguro Macharia and Ross Van Horn

#SmallFates on Twitter

#SmallFates are the little tragedies in life that we miss, or glance over. They are about the small fates of ordinary people. They are life in raw:

With a razor blade, Sikiru, of Ijebu Ode, who was tired of life, separated himself from his male organ. But death eluded him.

There were 119 first-class graduates from the University of Lagos this year, some of whom deserved it.

Sunday 1PM Kanga Tent

Punchline Poetry

The State of the Poetry Nation

A conversation between the heads of the poetry families on the past, present and future of Kenyan poetry. A discussion on style, art, written vs performance poetry, the future of Spoken Word and the business of poetry.

Sunday 1PM Ford Hall

Paula Kahumbu

Hands Off Our Elephants

Renowned conservationist, Festival Director and National Geographic explorer, Paula Kahumbu talks about the stupidity of wearing ivory and why killing elephants is murder.

In support of the Hands off our Elephants Campaign 

Sunday 3PM Storymoja Amphitheatre

Wanjiru Kamau-Ruttenburg, Michael Onsando, Caroline Mutoko and Jackson Biko.

FemAttack – Media Misogyny

Portrayal of women by the media is still so chauvinistic, outdated and playing to stereotypes. This panel fiercely debates what can be done to change attitudes and improve the portrayal of women in the media.

Sunday 3PM Kanga Tent

Richard Crompton and Kinyanjui Kombani and Nicola Miyawa Munene

Tribal Violence Inspires Fiction

Author of The Honey Guide Richard Crompton talks about his unputdownable fictional murder mystery set in Kenya in the aftermath of the post-election violence. Kinyanjui Kombani, author of The Last Villains of Molo, set against the background of the 1991 so-called tribal clashes in Molo, examines the role of children in the conflict, and shows the predicament of the young people, who were only children then but who are now adults with questions in their minds, and anger in their hearts. They talk to the broadcaster and reader Nicola Miyawa Munene.

Sunday 3PM Ford Hall

NaiNiWho

Nai Ni Who is a 3-month festival of neighborhood festivals -12 festivals in all covering 12 neighborhood zones in Nairobi. Nairobi was in the spotlight, sharing who we are the real Nairobians, warts and all! And celebrating our specialness! The most lively participants from their sessions share their experiences about the Nairobi they live in, and explore how we can all get involved in improving our neighbourhoods to create the Nairobi we want.

In partnership with The Godown Arts Centre

Sunday 3PM Discovery Hall

Agneter Were and Millie Dok

Using Stories To Teach Life Skills

Come and learn how to instill valuable life skills in your children through books and stories. Join Agneter (teacher, mother and Director of Storyhippo Creative Arts Programme) and Millie (children’s book author, storyteller and Reading Revolutionary) in this inspiring and valuable session.

Parents

In Partnership with S-CAP

Sunday 3PM Koko Riko Tent

Álvaro Restrepo

Dance Workshop

Stories and Dance from Colombia

Álvaro trained as a dancer in New York and was soon dancing professionally across the globe. But instead of pursuing this career he returned home to teach contemporary dance to children from disadvantaged areas of Cartagena. Colegio del Cuerpo teaches students about all aspects of their body and how to lead creative, fulfilling lives. Be prepared to learn some dance moves.

Breaking news: Hot off their South African tour in October, the Colombian dance group Colegio del Cuerpo led by Alvaro will perform in Kenya. Attendees of this session will get the first chance to book their tickets for his show in October.

Families

Sponsored by the Colombian Embassy

Sunday 5PM–6.30PM Louis Leakey Auditorium

Kofi Awooner, Kwame Dawes, Patrick Gathara and Mshai Mwangola

Art And Activism

Ghanaian poet Kofi Awooner was arrested in the 1970s for helping a soldier accused of trying to overthrow the military government and was imprisoned without trial. The House by the Sea is about his time in jail. Ghanaian poet and professor Kwame Dawes won an Emmy Award for his project documenting HIV/AIDS in Jamaica, a film interspersed with poetry, photography and music. Patrick Gathara is one of Kenya’s bravest cartoonists, whose blog is a must read -www.gathara.blogspot.com. Kenyan performance scholar and renowned storyteller, Mshai Mwangola is the former chairperson of the Governing Council of the Kenya Cultural Centre. Join Mshai Mwangola as she leads this discussion about using art to transform society.

In partnership with The African Poetry Book Fund

Sunday 5PM Storymoja Amphitheatre

Warsan Shire, Samo Bryton and Akil Ahmed

The Incredible Art that is Warsan

Warsan Shire won the first ever Brunel University African Poetry Prize. Two of the sensational Somalian poet’s biggest fans chat with Warsan about her life story, her eclectic approach to art, and the relationship between poet and audience. Warsan will read and perform her work.

In partnership with African Poetry Book Fund

Sunday 5PM Kanga Tent

PEN Kenya      

Celebrating Kenya at 50

We honour literary heroes who have trail-blazed literature in Kenya, charted the path for new narratives, and bravely recorded our stories. They explore how Kenyan literature has developed since Independence – what came before, what came after, and what can be expected for the future.

In partnership with PEN Kenya Chapter

Sunday 7PM Museum Courtyard

Alexander Ikawah, Dilman Dila, Temo Buliro, Stanley Gazemba and Timothy Kimutai

Kwani? Sunday Salon

In 2007, a transatlantic connection established Sunday Salon Nairobi. This special edition of Sunday Salon celebrates readings and conversations with four East African Writers who have set the region abuzz.

Alexander Ikawah and Dilman Dila were shortlisted for the 2013 Commonwealth Short Story Prize and Temo Buliro is a Jomo Kenyatta Literature Prize Winner. Stanley Gazemba was shortlisted and Timothy Kimutai won the Kwani? Manuscript Prize.

A live band will set the tone and get your feet tapping.

In partnership with Kwani Trust 

Sunday 5PM Ford Hall

Nii Ayikwei Parkes and Tim Williams talk to Beverley Nambozo

Murder Mysteries: From Ghana To Guadeloupe

Nii Ayikwei Parkes is the author of Blue Bird Tail, a murder mystery that thrusts the old and new worlds of Ghana together. Tim Williams is the author of Another Sun, where a murder mystery is embroiled in political corruption set on the sun-drenched Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. Chaired by the Ugandan founder of the BN Poetry Foundation.

Supported by the British Council

Sunday 5PM Discovery Hall

Andrea Bohnstedt and Linet Kwamboka

Silicon Savannah: Celebration or Stereotype?

Kenya is being touted as the Silicon Savannah, with its technological innovations flaunted around the world. But is this technology relevant to Kenya’s problems, and why are we still talking about Mpesa and Ushahidi when we talk of innovation? Where are the fresh, exciting new innovations that are putting Kenya on the tech map… and what do we need to do to make the Silicon Savannah a reality? Andrea Bohnstedt  is the Publisher of Africa Assets, a website on private equity and venture capital in Africa. Linet Kwamboka is a Software Engineer at Carnegie Mellon University.