''Busara'' was a literary journal published quarterly by the East African Publishing House, and later biannually, by the English Department at the

University of Nairobi , mottoeng = In unity and work , image = Uon emblem.gif , image_size = 210px , caption = Coat of Arms of the University , type = Public , endowment ...

. It was first published under that name in 1968, and became one of the most influential literary journals of its time in Kenya.

Jared Angira Jared Angira (born 21 November 1947) is a Kenyan poet. He has been called "the country's first truly significant poet". Life Angira was born in 1947 in Siaya, Kenya. He studied commerce at the University of Nairobi from 1968 until 1971. He contr ...

became its editor in chief in 1969. Originally the journal was founded as ''Nexus'', and four issues appeared in 1967 and 1968, but it was renamed in 1968: "Busara" means "wisdom" in

Kiswahili Swahili, also known by its local name , is the native language of the Swahili people, who are found primarily in Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique (along the East African coast and adjacent litoral islands). It is a Bantu language, though Swahili ...

. Awori wa Kataka and Richard Gacheche were its first editors under that name; the choice for a Kiswahili name was influenced by other publications doing the same thing at a time when there was broad discussion in newly-independent Kenya about a national language. Notable contributors and editorial staff included Taban lo Liyong,

Grace Ogot Grace Emily Ogot (née Akinyi; 15 May 1930 – 18 March 2015) was a Kenyan author, nurse, journalist, politician and diplomat. Together with Charity Waciuma she was the first Anglophone female Kenyan writer to be published.Mike Kuria, ed. ''Ta ...

, Adrian Roscoe,

Angus Calder Angus Lindsay Ritchie Calder (5 February 1942 – 5 June 2008) was a Scottish writer, historian, and poet. Initially studying English literature, he became increasingly interested in political history and wrote a landmark study on Britain during t ...

, and

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (; born James Ngugi; 5 January 1938) is a Literature of Kenya, Kenyan author and academic who writes primarily in Gikuyu language, Gikuyu and who formerly wrote in English language, English. He has been described as having bee ...

, and Chris Wanjala.

References

{{reflist Kenyan literature Literary magazines Magazines established in 1967 Magazines with year of disestablishment missing Magazines disestablished in 1975 Quarterly magazines