When Sitawa Namwalie introduces herself, she carries history in her very name. A poet, playwright, performing artist, environmentalist, and mother of three, she is also Sitawa the Third — a title she coined to honor the women before her who bore the same name. Her grandmother, a figure of mystery and resilience, left an indelible mark on her. Married and widowed twice, raising daughters in a patriarchal community that prized sons, and living with customs that set her apart, her grandmother embodied strength in adversity. Sitawa channels that legacy into her work: art that resonates with identity, injustice, and possibility.
From Science to Stories
Sitawa’s journey into the arts wasn’t a straight path. She studied Botany and Zoology at the University of Nairobi, fulfilling her mother’s dream of having a scientist in the family. Later, she pursued a Master’s in Environmental Studies at Clark University in Massachusetts. Her career in development — spanning environmental management, gender, human rights, and governance — gave her a panoramic view of Africa’s challenges and potential.
Yet, storytelling was always simmering beneath the surface. Friends recognized her natural flair for dramatization long before she embraced performance. Eventually, she fused her love for ideas with her gift of words, stepping into a new identity as a poet and performer.
Poetry as Performance, Performance as Resistance
In 2007, inspired by poet Shailja Patel, Sitawa wrote her first poem, Land of Guiltless Natives. Soon after, she began performing, experimenting with dramatized poetry that wove in Kenyan instruments, voices, and humor. Her first show, Cut Off My Tongue, sold out and toured internationally, earning standing ovations in the UK.
Through her work, Sitawa has pioneered a new way of experiencing poetry — dynamic, audience-centered, and deeply rooted in Kenyan identity. Her shows, from Silence is a Woman to Room of Lost Names, reflect both the beauty and pain of the Kenyan experience: land, history, injustice, and resilience.
Lessons from Sports and Resilience
Sitawa credits her sporting background with shaping her resilience. Just as athletes train body and mind to endure, she applies the same discipline to performance and writing. “Sports taught me physical and mental toughness,” she says. “That resilience has carried me through demanding work and long hours on stage.”
Art, Development, and Advocacy
Sitawa’s career straddles art and development. From supporting butterfly farming projects at the Coast to introducing coconut wood furniture, she has seen firsthand how communities transform when they are supported to solve their own problems. These encounters — with women, with communities, with grassroots innovations — feed into her poetry, giving it a lived, grounded authenticity.
Her art has always been political, reflecting Kenya’s shifting landscapes across regimes. She recalls the silence of the Kenyatta and Moi eras, when artists risked imprisonment for dissent, and the explosion of creativity under Kibaki, when freedom gave space for voices like hers to flourish. Today, she notes, social media has opened even more avenues for expression and global reach, though not always with the same impact as past activism.
A Voice of Recognition
In 2023, Sitawa was named among Kenya’s Shujaas (heroes) and recognized for her contribution to the arts by her home county of Kakamega. Yet, she remains clear-eyed about the lack of structural support for the arts. “We can’t live on exposure,” she insists, calling on both government and private sector to invest more meaningfully in Kenya’s creative economy.
Mentorship and the Future
Beyond her own work, Sitawa is deeply invested in mentorship. She has led writing and performance workshops for young artists, nurturing a new generation of voices. She believes Kenya’s creative future is bright: “Art is about daring, about dreaming and making it happen. The next generation is already doing extraordinary things. My role is to be curious, to watch, to encourage.”
Current Works
Sitawa continues to create prolifically. Her upcoming projects include:
- Stories from the Capital of Broken Hearts – a poetry show exploring love and loss in the city.
- Escape – a musical about a young man from Dandora navigating crime, imprisonment, and survival.
- A forthcoming book and new articles that continue her journey of blending intellect, creativity, and activism.
For Sitawa, art is not just about expression but transformation. It’s about turning history, identity, and lived experience into something that can move, challenge, and inspire.
Watch the full conversation with Sitawa the Third Namwalie here: YouTube Interview
