Lubao FM News 
Professor Egara Kabaji, an author and lecturer at Masinde Muliro University, has unveiled the first Maragoli dictionary to aid the current generation in understanding the language and its words. The 420-page L’logooli Dictionary, which took 10 years to compile, provides translations of Maragoli words into English. Published in 2023 by InterCEN Books Publishing Company, Kabaji hopes it will serve as a foundation for dictionaries in other Luhya dialects.
The dictionary was launched at Wanda Gardens in Kakamega alongside five other books as part of Kabaji’s celebration of his 60th birthday and decades of active writing. Priced at Sh1500 per copy, the dictionary is available at Prof. Francis Imbuga Memorial Library at Wanda Gardens, Ejinja Corner Kakamega.
During the event, Kabaji introduced the Professor Francis Imbuga Prize for Literature, an annual award in honor of the late Prof. Francis Imbuga, known for his play “Betrayal in the City.” The prize aims to recognize Kenyan writers whose works add value to society. Entries for the award will be accepted starting April or March 2024, with the awards ceremony scheduled for December of the same year.
Kabaji, who has written over 43 books, expressed his commitment to nurturing other writers in Kakamega, emphasizing the importance of using his talent to educate and inform. As the President of the Pan African Writers Association and the Creative Writers of Kenya, Kabaji has made significant contributions to the literary world.
Barack Wandera, an author mentee of Kabaji and a publisher at InterCEN Books, praised Kabaji’s contributions to the literary world and noted his impact in promoting literature in various languages, including Maragoli, Kiswahili, and English. Wandera highlighted Kabaji’s role as the President of the Creative Writers Association of Kenya and the founder and patron of the Kakamega Book Club.
Meshack Molongo Onzere, the Vihiga County Executive Committee Member in Charge of Culture, Gender, Youth, Sports, and Social Services, spoke at the launch, recognizing Maragoli as one of the local languages for the Vihiga people. He emphasized the significance of the L’logooli Dictionary as the first book in the Maragoli dialect and encouraged community members, especially the youth, to read and understand their language. On the Francis Imbuga Literary Award, Onzere urged youth participation in the competition to honor the late Prof. Imbuga’s contributions to the literary world.
