Henry Chakava

Early life and education Henry Miyinzi Chakava was born on 26 April 1946 in Vokoli Vihiga County, Kenya Colony. He began his career after completing his studies in literature and philosophy in 1972.

Career

Publishing Chakava started out as an apprentice editor and later became chief editor of Heinemann Educational Books, where he was involved in the publication and promotion of many notable African writers, including Ali Mazrui, Chinua Achebe, Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, Meja Mwangi, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and Okot p'Bitek.

In 1992, Chakava founded East African Educational Publishers, which later expanded with establishments in Uganda and Tanzania. for which Chinua Achebe wrote a brief introduction.

To celebrate Henry Chakava's 70th birthday, a number of key personalities in the publishing world authored a book, Coming of Age: Strides in African Publishing, published by East African Educational Publishers Ltd, Nairobi Kenya. The new release, published in April 2016, is a collection of essays in honour of Dr Henry Chakava @70.

He is remembered for founding African Publishers Network (APNET), his permanent membership of the Council of Management of the African Books Collective (ABC) and the African Publishing Institute (API). API had partnerships such as the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, the World Bank, Norwegian Aid, and the Canadian International Development Agency to enhance African literature. He also founded the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, jointly with the Shah and Rhughani families of the Text Book Centre.

Recognition Chakava received several awards. Here follows a selection: 1984: Award for extraordinary service to Kenya, by President Moi 2006: Prince Claus Award