Award-winning writer Yvonne Owuor (Caine Prize 2003) will be arraigned in Nairobi County Court on Monday for hawking, littering, resisting arrest after she was caught up in the Lavington demolitions by the County Government.
According to online sources, Yvonne was waiting outside Lavington Mall when city askaris descended on the informal traders located there. She didn’t run in the commotion as she had no ides what was going on.
In the commotion, as she began to ask what was happening someone pushed her and got aggressive with her. Owuor thought she was being attacked by a gang, especially when the man was joined by other people all in plain clothes. They grabbed her phone, knocked off her glasses. She was terrified. Thought she was being kidnapped. Fought for her life as they dragged her off.
She was taken to City Hall, charged with trading, dumping, assault, obstructing justice. She was later released on bail and is set to appear at the Magistrate’s Court at City Hall on Monday at 8AM.
According to economist David Ndii who shared the news on his Twitter handle, Ms Owuor is a victim of circumstances in the demolitions which happened on Thursday this week.
So award winning writer Yvonne Owuor(Caine Prize 2003) will be arraigned in Nairobi County Court on Monday for hawking, littering, resisting arrest. She was caught up in demolition of kiosks in Lavington, beaten up and robbed by plain clothes askaris. Shame on you @MikeSonko pic.twitter.com/0kTXP1qWK9
— David Ndii (@DavidNdii) August 3, 2018
Ms Owuor won the 2003 Caine Prize for African Writing for her story Weight of Whispers, which considers an aristocratic Rwandan refugee in Kenya. The story was originally published in Kwani?, the Kenyan literary magazine set up by Binyavanga Wainaina after he won the Caine Prize the previous year.
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In 2004, she won the Woman of the year (Arts, Heritage category) for her contributions to the arts in Kenya.
In September 2015, her critically acclaimed book Dust was not only shortlisted for the Folio Prize, but also won Kenya’s pre-eminent literary prize, the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature.
Yesterday (02-08-18) Yvonne Owour, Kenya's preeminent author was assaulted, her jacket ripped off, blouse torn leaving her half naked and her spectacles and phone stolen by plain clothes City Council askaris outside the Lavington Mall. The askaris did not identify themselves. .
— Eunice Wanjiku (@EuniceWanjiku1) August 3, 2018
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