Text Book Centre (TBC) hosted the Second Annual Penmanship Awards at the Jain Bhavan Auditorium in Loresho, bringing together authors, publishers, educators, students, and literary stakeholders to celebrate Kenyan storytelling under the theme “Across Ages, Across Pages”. The awards build on the success of the inaugural edition which was launched during TBC’s 60th anniversary.
These awards come at a time when the global and African publishing industries are witnessing new energy. According to industry reports, the global book publishing revenues are expected to witness growth due to educational publishing, children’s books, and increased interest in local content.
In Africa, rising literacy rates, growing middle-class populations, and developing education systems are fuelling demand for books, especially the locally published titles. In Kenya, educational and trade publishing remain important growth segments. The Kenyan government is planning an increase in the education budget to KSh 767 billion for the 2026/27 financial year as per the approved 2026 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) by parliament. Stakeholders in the education and publishing industries anticipate an increase in investment in learning infrastructure and educational materials.
Commenting during the event, Sachin Varma, CEO of Text Book Centre, said, “Each year we run the Penmanship Awards, we lower the barrier for one more writer who might otherwise never have known this platform existed. Each year, the network of people committed to Kenyan literary talent grows a little larger and a little stronger. That compounding effect, small each year and significant over a decade, is exactly how ecosystems are built.”
In earlier remarks made during the programme, Prof. Miriam Maranga-Musonye from the University of Nairobi underscored the crucial role that literature plays in society, saying, “Literature serves as the basis for promoting and localizing storytelling.” “Communities can see themselves, their histories, and their futures reflected in their literature,” she remarked. Prof. Maranga-Musonye lauded the Text Book Centre for initiating this program, saying that significance lies in the celebration of the art of storytelling not just as entertainment but as one of the oldest and most important aspects of human survival.
Reiterating the need for the players in the sector to collaborate and create sustainable and resilient ecosystems that will help spur growth for Kenya’s literary future, she emphasized that it is necessary to encourage younger people to nurture penmanship.
Further enriching the discussion around the business of books, was a discussion panel that brought together the Chairman of the Kenya Publishers Association, Mr. Musyoki Muli, author Chris Madison; and Sharon Banda, Operations Director, East African Educational Publishers, discussing the journey “From Manuscript to Marketplace” and highlighting some of the exciting opportunities for African writers.
The TBC Penmanship Awards recognized some of the best authors across a variety of genres, which include adult books, teens, children, junior authors, also the best school libraries and lifetime achievement honorees. Among the notable award winners were: Media personality Janet Mbugua with her book My First Time; Dr. Anuradha Khoda for her book Noah and the Rainbow Promise Series 2; and Jackson Biko for his book Big Little Fights. The theme Across Ages, Across Pages was brought to life with a special award for boys and girls under 13 years old who have written and published books. These included Joseph Laight from Potter House School with the book – The Big Tomato, Joseph Yohan Ayiro from WoodCreek Schools with his book – Big Africa and sisters Maya M. and Nia M. from Kiota School, with their book -To the land of Magic
Joy Okumu, Head of Retail at Text Book Centre, closed the ceremony by thanking all partners, authors, and readers for their unwavering support, adding, “A strong reading culture takes collaborative efforts among writers, publishers, schools, libraries, and readers.” Through the Penmanship Awards, Text Book Centre is committed to fostering Kenya’s literary development. We remain committed to supporting Kenyan authors, encouraging them to start young as embodied in our special award for boys and girls under 13 years; strengthening reading culture; and contributing significantly to the development of the country’s educational landscape.”
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