By Luke Anami
Kenya Times Newspaper, August 31, 1997

His romantic epics sometimes comprise impossible. He depicts people, intriguing – things and
plots with more twists than any other Kenyan popular writer. For over 30 years, David Maillu
has been writing about a subject that most Africans would other refer to as taboo. Some people
would never want to talk about sex.

4(b) But talking to the prolific novelist a man credited with authoring more books than any
Kenyan writer, one not only talks about sex, but other serious issues like African philosophy. 
Sprightly at nearly 58, the father of two daughters turns out as a man who has read many works.
The first thing one notices in his sitting room is the number of volumes of books on the shelves.
4(c) As you head for the seat, his wife Hannelore Maillu, a German-born, quickly welcomes you
and offers a drink. Discussing his background, one discovers that Maillu was born in 1939, one
year younger than Ngugi wa Thiongo. He is an aspirant for Kaiti seat on a KANU ticket come
this year''s General election.   
4(d) He attended Kee Primary School in 1951, but says he was already educated.
“I knew how to read and write through my own efforts.” In fact Maillu only
attended Standard One for two weeks and when he moved to Standard Two, he
topped the class in his first attempt. In 1954, he joined Wote Intermediate
School, 40 miles from his home. Upon sitting for KAPE in 1958, he joined
Machakos Technical Training School where he studied printing decorations,
finally graduating as a painter. But besides being “home painter and decorator”
he is an all round artist. “Most of the illustrations in my books are my own,” he
says to illustrate his liking of Fine Art. A good example of his illustrations can be
seen on the cover of one of his books, Broken Drum, the longest novel in Africa.
4(e) “How did you start writing?” I asked and he replied, “Primarily I discovered that I has a
special gift of story telling as early as 1963.” Maillu was more inspired into writing when he
discovered that he could learn on his own. Yet, his first attempt to write was a translation of an
English book into Kikamba in 1956, called Prince with the Golden Hair. In, 1970 Maillu
published an anthology of poetry, followed by his first full work titled Kisalu his Fruit Garden
and other stories, a collection of short stories for children./
4(f) His release of the novella Unfit For Human Consumption and After 4.30  sparked off hot
criticisms and controversies. Defending himself against some of those crtitics, Maillu says, “The
world is a vast place, full of cities, people, mountains, rivers and what have you. Why wonder
what to write about? Why not start with yourself especially as a human being, your nature:..”
4(g) He says that his interest in human nature formed the basis of his writings. “The traditional

African is a very wonderful human being. He had answers to almost every problem. There was
always room for widows, orphans, the lame to mention but just a few. I think those who
condemn me for dwelling on matters like sex and alcoho1ism do not understand my writing.”
4(h) “Maillu got his first job as a professional painter with the East Am Airways  in 1962. “The
job, he says, “did not distracts my interest in teaching myself practically how to write. The job
gave me means for survival to become a writer.” Upon leaving East African Airways in 1964, he
joined the then Voice of Kenya (present day KBC) as a graphic artist, and after ten years of
continuous service at VOK and intellectual development, he realized that he would not have his
books published unless he ventured into publication himself. In 1972, he formed “Comb books
Limited.” He vividly recalls the reason for setting it up. “After years of burning the midnight oil,
rewriting and revising manuscripts, and flipping endlessly through many huddles towards
success, it is great and ecstatic experience for you to get published and see your book in a
bookstores. But even after those painstaking exercises, publishers delayed with my manuscripts.
It was at that stage I decided to start publishing myself. So I kicked off aggressively. Strange that
after launching myself as a publisher and author, the same publishers who had rejected so many
of my manuscripts started hunting manuscripts from me. I guess because I had taken the risk in
publishing my work successfully and opened business opportunity for them to exploit me.”

4(i) Maillu is quick to add that having'' been writing all these years, he''s also a ripe material for
political participation “Like any other Kenyan, I too have a role to play In politics,” he says. Like
Wahome Mutahi and Francis Imbuga, Maillu has decided it is time he had tangible input in the
political development of this country. “The participation of a writer in politics does not have to
be only theoretical, but also practical,” he emphasizes.
4(j) The author of 50-plus books is confident that he can represent his people. When asked
whether standing on a KANU ticket is being partisan as a writer, he answers: “When you have
three bad things, you choose the best one.” K.A.N.U. (Kenya African National Union), D.P
(Democratic Party) and of late S.D.P. (Social Democratic Party) are the common parties in
Ukambani. “Choosing KANU does not imply that I agree with all the principles and styles
supported by the party.” To him, joining KANU provides him with an opportunity to find out
what ails the party and probably try to “correct mistakes from within.”
4(k) When asked whether a writer should be partisan, he says, “yes” and “no” and goes on to
explain: “I say so because in African philosophy,  politics is a lived discipline and, after all, writing is politics. Politicians are actors on playwrights of writers.”
4(l) “All political parties in this country including KANU, lack ideologies,” he points out. “In my
latest book African "indigenous political ideology, I have expounded on a solid ideology which,
to me, is all what Africans require to master their destiny.” He admits that though some of the
leaders in KANU are corrupt, that does not make over opposition parties angels. “A political
party is like a father, mother, son and daughter. Each one of them has different views over issues
in the house. Disagreements within the family does not imply the family is bad.”
4(m) Indicating his serious intentions to join politics, Maillu has initiated a water project, The
Kikonde Self-Help Water Project in his home constituency, which he occasionally visits. He says, the projects, if it succeeds will provide water for an extremely needy case. Meanwhile, he
appeals to willing donors to assist finance the project which is still in its initial stages.
4(n) “If you think writing about sex and alcohol to Maillu is a writing and living like it you are
mistaken! I am absolutely non-alcoholic but I am capable of writing about this topic. I have
intense knowledge of human behaviour.”