Doctor Henry Chakava
Doctor of Letters (HonDLitt)
Year conferred: 2005
Kenyan publisher Henry Chakava is chairman of one of the largest Kenyan publishing companies, East African Educational Publishers (EAEP) and Kenway. He began his career in 1972 as an apprentice editor at Heinemann Educational Books in Kenya and he has worked with some of Africa's leading authors.
Chakava rose through the ranks holding positions including publishing manager and managing director at Heinemann and similar roles at EAEP. A founder member of the African Publishers Network, Henry Chakava was a leading light in the promotion of African publishing internationally. He was head of the African Publishing Institute and has close ties to Oxford-based publishing organisations such as the African Books Collective and Bellagio Publishing Network.
Henry Chakava has also written several books and articles on literary criticism and on the African book industry. He has given lectures at international conferences, including seminars held at Brookes.
In 1984 Henry Chakava was decorated by Kenya's head of state for outstanding service to Kenya, and in 2000 was honoured with the inaugural Zimbabwe International Book Fair Award for life-long contribution to the African book industry. He is also a recipient of the Prince Claus Award (2006).
