According to the author, the stories mention \u201cpeople and places known very well to many of us\u201d and are told in \u201cvarious languages that we speak.\u201d He added, \u201cThey speak to us of matters close to our lives and close to our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addressing concerns about reading habits in Kenya, Fr. Nyutu said, \u201cCognizant of the poor reading culture currently permeating our country, I\u2019m highly encouraged by those who already secured copies, read them, and made wonderful comments and feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n
He urged educators and members of learning institutions to engage the book early. \u201cBy the time KICD (Kenya Institution of Curriculum Development<\/a>) picks this particular book for a set book, your students should be miles ahead,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n A witness to history and culture<\/p>\n In his address, the chief guest at the book launch, Fr. Mbugua, reflected on the cultural texture of the stories, beginning with a humorous observation from the text. \u201cWhen I looked at some of the stories, I found that Omo was being used in Jokerio, in Jawatho, and do you know what finished or eradicated lice, fleas, and bedbugs? It is Omo,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Turning to more serious themes, the VC of CUEA pointed to the story Lilongwe Chronicles as an example of cultural encounter. \u201cEverybody goes through such, because the culture is the lens through which we observe the world,\u201d he said, and added, \u201cWhen you go to a different place, you have to wear a different lens.\u201d<\/p>\n Fr. Mbugua also referenced the title story, noting its grounding in national trauma. \u201cThe green blood of Gotyomo, about the 2002-2008 post-election skirmishes, that quickly changed a lot of the landscape,\u201d Fr. Mbugua said, adding, \u201cOur family is a victim. That\u2019s why now we live in Nakuru city.\u201d<\/p>\n For him, the strength of the book lies in its human resonance. \u201cIt carries voices, values, and visions,\u201d he said, and continued, \u201cWhether it makes us smile, reflect, or see life a little differently, its true success lies in how it connects with each reader.\u201d<\/p>\n Reading, writing, and lifelong learning<\/p>\n Fr. Mbugua praised Fr. Nyutu\u2019s commitment to growth, saying the book \u201cexplores a life or a biography of a character that has a wonderful self-drive to growth and development.\u201d<\/p>\n Urging members of the Clergy to write more, he said, \u201cI urge Fr. Nyutu to write more books and inspire our priests to embrace a culture of reading and writing.\u201d<\/p>\n Fr. Mbugua emphasized lifelong learning, reminding participants in the January 13 book launch that \u201cas per the norms, you must read about each year six books,\u201d and added that reading \u201cupdates the mind, informs the reader, and keeps us all abreast with the current trends in divine and secular knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n Addressing aspiring writers, the member of the Clergy of Nakuru Diocese said, \u201cLet this book be a reminder that stories deserve to be told. Your voice matters. Your story matters.\u201d<\/p>\n Official launch and institutional support<\/p>\n In a gesture of institutional backing, the VC of CUEA announced that he would purchase copies for Catholic Priests from Baringo and Pokot and for the Nairobi-headquartered Catholic University that belongs to the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa<\/a> (AMECEA), noting that Fr. Nyutu is an alumnus.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are extremely proud of you, Fr. Nyutu, for representing the general of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa,\u201d he said, before officially launching the book.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is now my singular honour and delegated authority by the author to officially launch this book titled, The Green Blood of Gotyomo and Other Stories,\u201d Fr. Mbugua declared, adding, \u201cIt is officially launched for reading and for inspiring us to write more.\u201d<\/p>\n As the event concluded, participants were left with Sr. Jeruto\u2019s closing exhortation to spread the word about what she called a \u201cliterary romance,\u201d and with Fr. Nyutu\u2019s promise: \u201cI\u2019m therefore not done yet with you. Watch this space. More is coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
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