President William Ruto has paid tribute to celebrated Kenyan author and scholar Prof Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, describing him as a fearless patriot whose voice shaped generations.

In a statement released on Thursday, May 29, 2025, President Ruto said Ngũgĩ’s work made a lasting impact on Kenya’s struggle for social justice, independence, and cultural pride.

“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 said.

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.

Always courageous, he made an indelible impact on how we… pic.twitter.com/bHPJcWfVCF

— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) May 29, 2025

“His patriotism is undeniable, and even those who disagreed 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.”

Ruto added that Prof Ngũgĩ would always be remembered as a “champion of literary emancipation and innovation,” and expressed his condolences to the family.

A celebrated literary life

Prof Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o passed away on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the age of 87. His daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, confirmed his death through a statement posted on Facebook, saying the family would release details about his burial at a later date.

“He lived a full life, fought a good fight. As was his last wish, let’s celebrate his life and his work,” Wanjiku wrote.

Born on January 5, 1938, Ngũgĩ was a foundational figure in African literature, with novels such as Weep Not, Child, Petals of Blood, and Decolonising the Mind inspiring generations of readers across the continent and beyond. The River Between remains one of the most widely read books in Kenyan schools.

A life of resistance

Ngũgĩ’s commitment to telling African stories in African languages, especially Gikuyu, set him apart in the literary world. His play Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want), co-written with Ngũgĩ wa Mĩriĩ, led to his arrest and imprisonment without trial in 1977.

He was later adopted as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International and went into exile after his release, continuing to write, teach, and speak out from abroad.

Prof Ngũgĩ taught at major universities around the world, including Yale, NYU, and the University of California, Irvine, where he served as a Distinguished Professor of Comparative Literature and English.

Though he never received the Nobel Prize for Literature, a long-held hope among Kenyans, Ngũgĩ’s influence on global literature and post-colonial thought remains unmatched.

His legacy, as President Ruto noted, lies not only in the books he wrote but in the generations of minds he challenged and inspired.