President Uhuru Kenyatta invited author Ngugi wa Thiong'o to state house for what would be his first visit of the kind.
During the visit, Uhuru asked the self exiled author to 'come back home' citing that Kenya needs all talents living in Diaspora.
He assured Thiong'o that the country was in a much better and more friendly state than it was when he left for the US where he has been living since.
Ngugi's troubles with the state began during Jomo Kenyatta's regime due to his writing which mostly was critical of vices in the government, especially corruption.
His play 'Ngahika Ngeenda' saw him get arrested, albeit under no official charges.
Thiong'o would stay in custody until President Daniel Moi released him.
He then fled the country and vowed never to come back until KANU- the ruling political party in the two regimes that atagonized him, left power.
During the visit to state house Nairobi, Ngugi who was accompanied by his children – also established writers said he was impressed the changes in governance Kenya has gone through.
“For the first time I met Government officials who were not talking down at the people but seeking out and engaging with respect,” he said.
He further requested president Kenyatta to see to it that schools embrace the teaching of ethnic languages to embrace culture.
Here is a clip on the state visit by Citizen TV:
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