Mulwa@70, Celebrating an icon
a group of Kenyan writers, literature enthusiasts, and film and theatre practitioners will host an event to celebrate one of their own, David Mulwa. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- David Mulwa, who began acting in 1952, at the age of 7, has featured in stage, film and television productions, including Tahidi High, and has earned two Head of State Commendations.
- In 2006 he received an Outstanding Theatre Personality Award from The East Africa Theatre Institute, Tanzania. His role as Pastor in M-Nets 1998 film, The Baisikol, earned him a Best Actor Award Film.
ON JULY 1, 2015, a group of Kenyan writers, literature enthusiasts, and film and theatre practitioners will host an event to celebrate one of their own, David Mulwa.
The event, known as “David Mulwa @70, A Celebration”, will be held at Alliance Francaise, Nairobi. Entry is free and open to the public.
“The plan is to appreciate David Mulwa’s contribution to the arts in Kenya,” says writer Kinyanjui Kombani, one of the co-ordinators. “It is an informal event; no boring speeches!”
The event will be moderated and co-hosted by renowned thespian and playwright John Sibi-Okumu, who worked with Mulwa in the inaugural production of Joe de Graft’s Muntu, which subsequently became a high school set book for many years.
“We do well to celebrate our own, rather than to await external recognition first,” Sibi-Okumu says of the event.
Mulwa has made a big contribution to our society as a teacher, thespian, writer and mentor. Literature luminaries who credit Mulwa’s influence in their work include Musyoki Muli, the former MD of Longhorn Publishers and now MD of SpearSharp Publishers, Beatrice Nugi, Publishing Manager, Longhorn; editors Shiro Marima (Phoenix), David Muchungu (Oxford University Press), actor Martin Githinji, among others. The writer of Mwalimu Andrew, the humour column in the Sunday Nation was also Mulwa’s creative writing student.
David Mulwa, who began acting in 1952, at the age of 7, has featured in stage, film and television productions, including Tahidi High, and has earned two Head of State Commendations
by presidents Daniel arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki in 1994 and 2005 respectively.
He also received a Mbalamwezi Theatre Award For Long Service In The Theatre and a Lifetime Achievement Award at Kalasha Awards.
In 2006 he received an Outstanding Theatre Personality Award from The East Africa Theatre Institute, Tanzania. His role as Pastor in M-Nets 1998 film, The Baisikol, earned him a Best Actor Award Film.
Mulwa has also appeared in over 15 motion pictures, including the internationally acclaimed To Walk With Lions, Saikati II, 100 Days and Born Free. Mulwa has 20 publications to his name, including Master and Servant, which has been translated into Russian, as well as Buriani, Glass Houses, and Clean Hands. His newest publication is the 2014 release, Flee Mama Flee.
