Essentials of Akamba Culture book launch at Uwezo College. Photo Steve Kioko 
By Steve Kioko
Cultural enthusiasts from the Akamba and Gikuyu communities who feel estranged from their traditions due to modern lifestyles now have a chance to reconnect with their roots.
Uwezo College School of Culture and Social Studies, located in Machakos’ Industrial Area, has introduced a one-month Certificate in Cultural Studies designed to reignite interest in indigenous heritage.
The school has further strengthened its cultural resource base with the launch of a comprehensive new book titled "Essentials of Akamba Culture", authored by the College Director, Felix Kyengo.
The book was officially launched on Friday at the Uwezo College grounds in Machakos Town, marking a milestone in cultural documentation and revival.
Meticulously researched and expertly edited, the book carries endorsements from respected scholars and cultural custodians, including Prof. Kithaka wa Mberia of the University of Nairobi, celebrated author Prof. David Mailu, USIU Linguistics Professor Angeline Nduku, and academic Dr. Steve Wambua, among others.
Adding a unique dimension to the work is the contribution of renowned Nairobi-based Kamba herbalist Kasyoki Ngui, who shares indigenous knowledge on 20 traditional diseases and their herbal remedies—offering readers a glimpse into the medicinal wisdom of the Akamba people. Research for the book was conducted by Japheth Mwaniki.
During the launch, Mr. Kyengo, an alumnus of Alliance High School and a B.Com graduate from the University of Nairobi, shared a personal motivation behind the book: a sense of guilt that his own children had grown up disconnected from their Akamba heritage, having been raised by a non-Kamba mother.
“This book is not a work of fiction. It is a work of research based on facts,” said Kyengo. “If you read it carefully, you will know where the rain started beating us.”
Prof. Mailu, who penned the book’s foreword, praised Essentials of Akamba Culture as unmatched in scope and depth among current publications on the subject.
“As you come of age, you chase your career, you chase family and money, and then you reach a point of reflection,” noted Uwezo College Director Mathias Muli. “It takes courage to reclaim a culture eroded by modernity.”
Kyengo clarified that the book is not an appeal to revert to traditional lifestyles but a call to document and preserve every aspect of Akamba culture for future generations.
The book is available for purchase at Sh1,250, with a special launch-day discount of Sh950 offered to attendees.
This initiative underscores a growing movement among Kenyan communities to reclaim and preserve cultural identity in an age of rapid globalization.
