The late Kiswahili scholar, Prof John Habwe. Photo/Handout
By Newsflash Writer
The Kiswahili fraternity is mourning the death of one of its most decorated figures, Prof John Hamu Habwe, an acclaimed author, playwright, linguist, and long-serving lecturer at the University of Nairobi.
Prof Habwe passed away on Sunday, August 17, night, after a long illness. His death was confirmed on Monday, August 18, morning, by Prof Iribe Mwangi, Chairperson of the Department of Kiswahili at the University of Nairobi.
“Greetings to you colleagues. I bring sad news to you this morning. We have lost Prof John Hamu Habwe after being in and out of hospital for some time. The department of Kiswahili, the University and Kiswahili world in general has really lost. He was a great teacher for about 37 years. Personally, he taught me from first year undergraduate and was the 1st supervisor for my PhD. I mourn him as a great mentor, linguist and creative writer. Prof Habwe passed on last night. May Prof rest in eternal peace,” wrote Prof Mwangi in a condolence note to fellow scholars.
His passing has triggered an outpouring of grief from academics, writers, students, and colleagues across Kenya and the wider Kiswahili-speaking world, who describe him as a pillar in advancing Kiswahili studies and literature.
Tributes pour in
Among the prominent scholars who have mourned him are Dr Amiri Swaleh, Prof Mosol Kandagor, Prof John Kobia, Dr Vince Nyabunga, Prof Kineene wa Mutiso, Prof Kimani Njogu, Mwalimu Alex Ngure, and Dr Sarah Ndanu, among others.
In his tribute, Prof Kimani Njogu, founder of Twaweza Communications, described Habwe as a towering intellectual who shaped public discourse through his writings and media work.
“The news of the passing of Prof John Habwe are devastating. We have lost a consummate, humble and resilient professional. I remember the many meetings we had…. from the era of the programs like Lugha Yetu and Ukumi wa Lugha to the journal Mwamko and advocacy for the formation of the Swahili Council. Prof Habwe was a public scholar. May God rest his soul in eternal peace,” said Prof Njogu.
A distinguished academic and mentor
Born on December 12, 1962, Prof Habwe’s career spanned more than three decades of teaching, writing, and scholarship. He earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees at the University of Nairobi, rising through the ranks from tutorial fellow in 1989 to Associate Professor in 2011.
During his tenure, he served as Chairman of the Department of Kiswahili between 2013 and 2016, and earlier as Chair of the Department of Linguistics and Languages from 2011 to 2013.
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His teaching extended beyond the University of Nairobi. He worked as a part-time lecturer at Maseno University and the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, while also serving as an external examiner at Moi University.
Beyond academia, Habwe lent his expertise to international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Kiswahili Commission of East Africa, where he worked on translation and language projects.
A dedicated mentor, he supervised dozens of postgraduate students, nurturing the next generation of Kiswahili scholars. His students recall him as approachable, meticulous, and inspiring.
Celebrated author and literary giant
Prof Habwe was also a prolific author whose works shaped Kiswahili literature and scholarship. He wrote extensively in the fields of pragmatics, sociolinguistics, and discourse analysis, with his research widely published in academic journals. His books on Kiswahili grammar and prose are used as core texts in schools and universities.
Beyond academic writing, Habwe was a celebrated novelist and short story writer, with works spanning over two decades. His novels such as Paradiso (2005), Cheche za Moto (2008), Kovu Moyoni (2014), Pendo la Karaha (2014), and Hidaya Yangu (2018) won him critical acclaim and several literary awards, including the prestigious Wahome Mutahi Literary Prize.
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He also authored children’s books and short story anthologies, demonstrating his versatility in both creative and scholarly writing. His orientation toward prose fiction allowed him to address contemporary social and political issues, while also promoting Kiswahili as a language of literature and national identity.
For many years, Prof Habwe participated in and chaired popular Kiswahili radio programs such as Lugha Yetu and Mjadala at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), platforms that enabled him to reach wider audiences outside academia. Through these programs, he contributed significantly to public appreciation of Kiswahili as both a cultural and intellectual resource.
A legacy etched in Kiswahili history
Prof Habwe’s remarkable contribution did not go unnoticed. He received multiple awards, including the 2016 Wahome Mutahi Award for Literature for his novel Kovu Moyoni and the 2015 Jomo Kenyatta Textbook Centre Kiswahili Literary Award for Pendo la Karaha.
In 2010, he won the Wahome Mutahi Prize in the Kiswahili category for Cheche za Moto. Earlier, in 2007, he was recognized by the University of Nairobi for his dictionary research with Kamusi ya Isimu na Fasihi.
His colleagues remember him not only for his scholarship but also for his humility, Christian values, and single-minded dedication to teaching and writing.
At Newsflash Kenya, we send our condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the departed scholar.
May he rest in eternal peace.
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