Mukoma wa Ngugi: 5 Facts About Ngugi wa Thiong'o’s Son and US University Professor

Mukoma wa Ngugi: 5 Facts About Ngugi wa Thiong'o’s Son and US University Professor

 Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 6:59 PM by  Brian Ajon reviewed by  Jackson Otukho3 min read 

• Ngugi wa Thiong'o's son, Mukoma wa Ngugi, is a renowned author of novels, poetry and literary criticism
• According to media reports, Mukoma was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in Kenya, blending dual cultures
• The award-winning author is an Associate Professor of Literatures in English at Cornell University
• Ngugi wa Thiong’o died at 87; his son Mukoma wa Ngugi carries the literary torch. Photo: Mukoma Ngugi.

Source: Facebook

His daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, announced his death on social media.

She shared that he died in Atlanta and promised more details would be released soon.

Ngugi had several children, but this article features his son, Mukoma wa Ngugi, who will likely carry his legacy in the literary world.

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1. Was Mukoma wa Ngugi the dad's favourite?

Hard to tell if he was his father's favourite child, but they were so close.

He would move around with his dad to some occasions and they just had a perfect bond. 

The blend must have been made possible by the fact that they belong to the same career.

2. Is Mukoma wa Ngugi an author?

Yes, as the saying goes, an apple doesn't fall far from the tree; it is so true in this case. 

Just like his father, a distinguished author, who had many bestsellers under his name, Mukoma is a distinguished writer and author. 

Mukoma is the author of The Rise of the African Novel: Politics of Language, Identity and Ownership, the novels Mrs. Shaw, Black Star Nairobi, Nairobi Heat, and two books of poetry, Logotherapy and Hurling Words at Consciousness. 

Unbury Our Dead With Song, a novel about competing Tizita musicians, was released by Cassava Republic Press in May of 2021.

Some of his works have been translated into German, Turkish, and French. A member of the African Literature Association’s Executive Council, he is the co-founder of the Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature. 

3. Where was Mukoma born?

Mukoma is a Kenyan American poet who has graced many grand stages because of his poetry skills. 

According to Poetry Foundation, he was born in Evanston, Illinois, and grew up in Kenya.

4. Mukoma Wa Ngugi's working background

According to the Cornell University website, Mukoma is an Associate Professor of Literatures in English at the university.

In 2013, New African magazine named him one of the 100 most Influential Africans. 

In 2015 he was a juror for the Writivism Short Story Prize and the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. He co-edited with Prof. Laura Murphy, a Special Issue of New Orleans Review titled The African Literary Hustle. In 2016, he wrote an eight part play radio play, Drugs to Kill, Drug to Cure for Deutsche Welle that was translated into Portuguese, Lingala, Kiswahili, Hausa and French.

Mukoma holds a PhD in English from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, an MA in Creative Writing from Boston University and a BA in English and Political Science from Albright College. 

In 2009, he was shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing and in 2010 for the Penguin Prize for African Writing for his novel manuscript, The First and Second Books of Transition (Mrs. Shaw). 

The German translation of Nairobi Heat was named the 2014 Crime Book of the Season by Buchkultur. 

Mukoma wa Ngugi will continue dad's legacy. Photo: Mukoma wa Ngugi.

5. What did Mukoma wa Ngugi study?

Mukoma holds a PhD in English from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, an MA in Creative Writing from Boston University, and a BA in English and Political Science from Albright College.

How did Mukoma mourn his dad?

As earlier reported, Mukoma wrote an emotional tribute as he mourned his beloved father.

The scholar described the challenge of putting his feelings into words.

Alongside his tribute, he also shared a photo of himself with his departed dad.

Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.