On Maina Wa Kinyatti

To the Editors:

Your readers may be interested in the following letter to Daniel arap Moi, president of Kenya:

Your Excellency:

We, the members of the African Literature Association, attending the Tenth Anniversary Conference of our association at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, March 20–23, wish to express our grave concern over the continued imprisonment of Maina wa Kinyatti, the well-known Kenyan writer and historian. We are particularly concerned about reports of his deteriorating eyesight. Writers are among Africa’s valuable resources and should be treated accordingly.

We therefore request you, Mr. President, to release Maina wa Kinyatti. We request further that you release the other political prisoners, particularly the 24 students jailed from 1982 to today.

Peter Nazareth

President, African Literature Association