Monthly Archives: May 2009

Armed Robbers… We are all fine…

I don’t want to write very much right now. I will probably write more privately and then share what I can publically later. But, just to let those of you who follow this blog know, my family and some friends were attacked by armed robbers last night around 9pm in my parent’s house. We are all fine. They did not harm anyone physically except for my father whom they shot at from about 5 inches away (it must have been a blank or a cap gun because he was not wounded) and then kicked in the mouth. He sustained only minor bruises and scratches. The rest of us in the house, my sister and her friend, my mother, the PhD from the U.S. who is staying with them, and two little girls from across the street are all fine.

The whole ordeal only lasted about 20 minutes although it felt like much longer. Fortunately, our neighbors heard the first gunshot and the robbers shouting at us to lie down on the floor. They called the mobile police/soldiers who came a little while later. The soldiers shot at the robbers who ran away on foot.

We are all fine. We have actually been laughing ever since they left.

There is so much to laugh about. There is so much to be thankful for. 

They took a few things but left us all intact, which is the most important thing. We thank God.

We have felt very loved by our community and the steady stream of visitors, some of whom even came by last night immediately after the robbery.

I will post more as I can. Thank you for your prayers.

Mukoma wa Ngugi nominated for the Caine Prize

Mukoma wa Ngugi (c) Carmen McCain

Mukoma wa Ngugi, September 2007 (c) Carmen McCain

I found out yesterday that my buddy Mukoma wa Ngugi has been nominated and shortlisted for the Caine Prize for African Writing.  The winner will be announced on July 6, 2009. Past winners have included (oh yes) Helon Habila, Monica Arec de Nyeko, Binyavanga Wainaina, Leila Aboulela,Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, S.A. Afolabi, and others. You can read Mukoma’s nominated short story “How Kamau wa Mwangi Escaped into Exile” , which I was privileged to read still in draft a few years ago before its June 2008 publication in Wasafiri, here.  

Congratulations, Mukoma! And good luck! So exciting!
 

Image (c) Carmen McCain