Anglophone women’s writing and public culture in Kenya and Uganda, 1959-1976

The post-independence period was a vibrant time in Kenya and Uganda. Independence and the birth of the nation inspired a myriad of different cultural responses, including new writing and forms of literary production. The processes of decolonisation were not only shaping the political realm, but the cultural as well: events such as the African Writers Conference held at Makerere College in June 1962; the abolition of the English Department at University College, Nairobi in 1968; or the creation of the East African Institute of Social and Cultural Affairs in 1963, all heralded a shift towards Africanisation and the abandonment of colonial cultural legacies.

The role of male cultural figures in these Africanisation processes has been well-documented; however, that of women remains under-researched. This thesis examines the ways in which Ugandan and Kenyan women writers and cultural figures viewed this period and expressed this in their writing. In interrogating student writing, prose, poetry, drama, children’s literature, journalism, and non-fiction writing, the interpretations by East African women writers of decolonisation and independence in their textual production will be highlighted. They protested oppression, neo-colonialism, inequality, patriarchy, and state authoritarianism, representing marginalised communities in their texts.

The contribution of this thesis to historiography is two-fold: firstly, it will highlight voices hitherto largely considered obscure. Secondly, it will underscore the ways in which women widened the terms of the debates on decolonisation and Africanisation, making them inclusive to more participants, and entrenched at all levels in society. In a time when access to the public sphere in Kenya and Uganda was barred for many women, and authoritarianism in both countries repressed free speech and civil society activity, the texts were a public platform through which women could express themselves and make their voices heard.