The School Leavers' Party

A Memoir

by Dr. Mũcemi Gakũrũ

A boy, the national exams, and a party to fund in 1970s rural Kenya.

KES 1,600

Published: 2026
Pages: 188
Language: English
Publisher: Spears Books

About the book

In this vivid and deeply personal memoir, a young boy grows up in 1970s rural Kenya, balancing the demands of primary school with the expectations of village life. As national exams approach and a school-leavers' party requires each student to raise funds, he confronts hardship and responsibility, lessons that reach far beyond the classroom.

Through storytelling woven with Gĩkũyũ customs, folklore, songs, and everyday rural life, the narrative captures a community caught between ancestral tradition and modernity. Childhood friendships, family guidance, and cultural rituals shape his sense of identity during a time of social and economic change.

More than a personal journey, the memoir mourns a world slipping away while honouring the cultural foundations that sustained it. It is a tender, reflective work that listens to the voices history tried to silence, and lets African heritage speak once more.

About the author

Dr. Mũcemi Gakũrũ is a Cambridge-educated engineer and technology innovator who pioneered African speech technologies, including the Kenyan English Lexicon (KENGLEX). Drawing on his upbringing in rural Central Kenya, he offers an insider's view of Gĩkũyũ traditions and the complexities of post-colonial change. He lives in Nairobi, where he leads technology initiatives while staying engaged in Africa's cultural and intellectual life.