Henry Chakava (1946-2024), often hailed as the “father of Kenyan publishing,” played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of African literature. His contributions extended beyond the commercial realm, encompassing a deep commitment to promoting African languages, facilitating translation, and challenging the dominance of multinational publishers. This tribute highlights Chakava’s multifaceted legacy, examining his key initiatives and their impact on the publishing industry in Kenya and Africa.
Challenging Multinational Control
Chakava’s impact extended to challenging the dominance of multinational publishers and glorifying colonial narratives in Kenya. In a groundbreaking move, he spearheaded the acquisition of Heinemann East Africa, the first instance of a local publisher taking over a multinational publishing house in the country . He then rebranded the company as East African Educational Publishers (EAEP), marking a turning point in the Kenyan publishing industry.
This bold move had a ripple effect, paving the way for other local publishers to acquire established multinational companies, such as Longman and Macmillan . These acquisitions significantly altered the Kenyan publishing landscape, empowering local voices and fostering a more diverse and representative literary environment.
This shift in ownership, however, presented challenges for the remaining multinational publishers, such as Oxford University Press. They faced increased competition from local publishers who were more attuned to the needs and preferences of the Kenyan market . Furthermore, these multinational publishers had to contend with issues like piracy and distribution barriers, which significantly impacted their operations and market share . The rise of local publishing houses forced them to adapt their strategies to remain relevant in the evolving landscape.
Henry Chakava and the Language Question
Chakava’s commitment to African languages transcended mere economic considerations. He firmly believed in their power to foster cultural identity and social growth. This belief manifested in several bold initiatives. Notably, he published Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o’s works in Gikuyu, despite the commercial risks involved and the fact that Heinemann, where he worked at the time, was under British ownership .
This decision, taken in the face of potential political repercussions, exemplified his courage, dedication to providing a platform for African voices, and challenging the hegemony of colonial languages . Despite threats, censorship, and commercial struggles, publishing Ngũgĩ remained one of Chakava’s greatest achievements, despite Ngũgĩ’s reduced influence in Kenya because of his exile .
Furthermore, Chakava was instrumental in publishing Kiswahili course books, which further solidified the language’s role within the Kenyan education system as a crucial mediating language between dominant English and other mostly marginalised African languages .
This proactive approach underscored his vision of Kiswahili as a unifying force and a vehicle for national development. Despite the limited profitability of publishing in African languages, Chakava remained steadfast in his commitment, recognising their intrinsic cultural and social value . He published an array of titles in various African languages, including oral literature, language learning materials, and a comprehensive English-Swahili dictionary .
Henry Chakava and Translation
Chakava’s contribution to translation further solidified his commitment to promoting African literature. Recognizing the linguistic diversity of the continent, he initiated the translation of major titles from the Heinemann African Writers Series into Kiswahili, and also facilitated some translation from Kiswahili into English. . This initiative broadened the accessibility of African literature, allowing readers across linguistic boundaries to engage with works by renowned authors such as Chinua Achebe, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and Elechi Amadi , even when these translations were not commercially viable . By facilitating cross-cultural exchange through translation, Chakava enriched the literary landscape and fostered a deeper appreciation for African narratives.
Founding Member of the African Books Collective
Chakava was not only a champion of local publishing within Kenya, but also recognised the importance of collaboration and wider distribution for African books. He was a founding member of the African Books Collective (ABC) , a non-profit marketing and distribution outlet that promotes books from African publishers to a global audience .
Working with publishers from other African countries (including other founding members such as Dakar-based Council for the Development of Social Science Research (CODESRIA) and Walter Bgoya of Mkuki na Nyota Publishers in Tanzania), Chakava helped establish ABC as a platform to amplify African voices and ensure the dissemination of African literature internationally .
I first met him in 2004 at the ABC board meeting in Oxford. I had just been appointed Senior Programme Officer in charge of publications at CODESRIA. Chakava was on the ABC board in his capacity as a founding member and chairperson of East African Educational Publishers (EAEP), while I was representing CODESRIA.
It did not take more than an initial conversation for me to see that Chakava’s vision and commitment to promoting African writers and publishing African scholarship dovetailed perfectly with CODESRIA’s own vision .
During my six years on the board of ABC, it was an infinite pleasure and privilege to work with Henry Chakava, a man of great wisdom and experience, who inspired and spurred me on in my own dedication to help fulfil CODESRIA’s ambition and mission as a leading scholarly publisher in Africa, and eventually as well, my enthusiasm and dedication to Langaa Research and Publishing Common Initiative Group, an institute I co-founded in 2004.
Source: Henry Chakava: A Pioneer of Indigenous Publishing in Kenya and Africa – PAN AFRICAN VISIONS