Mukoma wa Ngugi, the fourth-born son of the late celebrated author Ngugi wa Thiong’o, has opened up about the deep rift that separated him from his father for the last four years.
Mukoma revealed that he was unaware of his passing until notified by his brother. Had it not been for that call, he says, he would have learned of his father’s death through social media like any other Kenyan.
Reflecting on his father’s recent passing and cremation, Mukoma wa Ngugi shared that for him, the real farewell happened long before his father’s death.
The rift dates back to when his father allegedly physically abused his mother, Nyambura wa Ngugi, and since then, they couldn't see eye to eye, leading to the fallout and distance between them.
"Had it not been for one of my brothers reaching out, I would have discovered his passing through social media," Mukoma revealed.
He also admitted he had no prior knowledge of the cremation and only learned about it afterwards, having missed the ceremony entirely.
"It is, in the end, a family feud. But if there’s one thing I can say, it’s that my conscience is clear," he added.
Mukoma wa Ngugi characterised his relationship with his father as strained, far from the warmth typically expected between a father and son. He was candid in acknowledging that their final months together were not filled with laughter but rather marked by tension.
Despite the fallout and rift, Mukoma revealed he loved and respected Ngugi wa Thiong'o as his father. He hailed the writer for raising him to be a truth-teller.
"All I can say is that I love him, and despite all that, he is my father; there are no families without contradictions," he continued.
Thiong'o passed away on Wednesday, May 28, a death communicated by his daughter Wanjiku wa Ngugi, who urged all those who knew him to celebrate his life and works.
The celebrated writer was cremated in the US on Thursday, in a quiet ceremony between family members alone.
To celebrate his life, his family has organised different ceremonies in different states, including Nairobi.
