Kistrech International Poetry Festival 2026: Poets from Around the World Gather in Kenya

KISII, KENYA — October 2026

The Kistrech International Poetry Festival, organized by Kistrech Theatre International, will bring together poets and literary voices from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Arab world from 11 to 18 October 2026 in Kisii, Kenya.

Carrying the powerful motto “The Word is Not Alone; It is Part of the Whole,” the festival presents poetry as a meeting point between cultures, languages, communities and artistic traditions. Its 2026 programme combines poetry readings, cultural visits, community engagement, university activities, book donations and encounters in some of Kenya’s distinctive cultural and natural settings.

The festival also emphasizes the principle of “Inclusivity & Borderlessness,” reflecting its international character and its commitment to bringing poets from different backgrounds into direct conversation.

An international gathering of poets

The 2026 guest poets represent Poland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt and Kenya, creating a diverse literary gathering that connects African poetry with European, Asian and Arab poetic traditions.

The international guest list includes:

Anna Maria Stepien — Poland
Bernadette Gallagher — Ireland
Dr. Christopher Okemwa — Kenya
Dr. Alfred Nyagaka Nyamwange — Kenya
Dr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid — Egypt
Dr. Evans Gesura Mecha — Kenya
Dr. Georginah Nyatichi Makini — Kenya
Prof. Elisa Biagini — Italy
Dr. Genaro da Silva — Spain
Prof. Joseph Muleka — Kenya
Hatem Al-Shahri — Saudi Arabia
Hani Nadeem — Syria
Navista Parvezkhan Sherani — Kenya
Rolince Onyango Otieno — Kenya
Stephen Mogire — Kenya
Yusuke Miyake — Japan
Mbugua Ng’ang’a — Kenya

The presence of poets from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Syria gives the festival a particularly significant Arab dimension, while the participation of writers from Poland, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Japan further expands its international literary reach.

At the heart of the gathering is the Kenyan literary community, represented by Dr. Christopher Okemwa and numerous Kenyan poets and scholars. Their participation underscores the festival’s role not only as an international event but also as a platform rooted in Kenya’s own literary culture.

A week of poetry and cultural encounters

The festival programme runs from Sunday, 11 October, through Sunday, 18 October 2026, combining formal ceremonies with poetry in universities, villages, hotels, museums, libraries and the Maasai Mara.

Sunday, 11 October — Arrival

The festival begins with the arrival of the participating poets and guests. The opening day provides an opportunity for international and Kenyan participants to meet before the official programme begins.

Monday, 12 October — Opening Ceremony

The official Opening Ceremony will take place at the Dallas Premiere Hotel.

The ceremony will formally launch the 2026 edition and bring together the participating poets, organizers, cultural representatives and members of the local literary community.

Tuesday, 13 October — Poetry in the Village of Bogiakumu

On Tuesday, poetry moves beyond conventional literary venues with “Poetry in the Village of Bogiakumu.”

This activity reflects one of Kistrech’s distinctive characteristics: taking poetry directly into communities and creating encounters between international poets and local audiences.

The village setting offers participating writers an opportunity to experience Kenyan community life while sharing poetry with audiences outside traditional cultural institutions.

Wednesday, 14 October — Poetry Reading at Kisii University

The festival continues on Wednesday with a Poetry Reading at Kisii University.

The university setting creates a natural space for interaction between visiting poets, Kenyan writers, students, academics and young literary enthusiasts. It also reinforces the festival’s educational dimension and its role in encouraging new generations of poets and readers.

Thursday, 15 October — Book Donations at ION Library, Nyamira County

Thursday’s programme expands the festival’s cultural mission beyond poetry readings with Book Donations at ION Library in Nyamira County.

The initiative links international literary participation with access to books and reading resources, demonstrating the broader educational and community role of the festival.

The book donation activity also provides a practical expression of the festival’s commitment to literary development and to extending the reach of literature to local communities.

Friday, 16 October — Poetry Reading at Maasai Mara Game Reserve

On Friday, the participating poets will present a Poetry Reading at the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

The combination of poetry and one of Kenya’s most renowned natural landscapes creates a distinctive cultural setting for literary exchange. The activity also places literature in dialogue with nature, place and the cultural identity of Kenya.

For international participants, the Maasai Mara programme offers an opportunity to experience one of the country’s most recognizable environments while participating in the festival’s literary activities.

Saturday, 17 October — Poetry Reading at Humphrey Hotel & Museum

The programme continues Saturday with a Poetry Reading at Humphrey Hotel & Museum.

The combination of literary performance and a museum environment further emphasizes the festival’s connection between contemporary poetry, cultural heritage and public cultural spaces.

Sunday, 18 October — Departure

The festival concludes on Sunday, 18 October, with the departure of the participating poets and guests, bringing the week-long programme to a close.

Poetry without borders

The geographical diversity of the 2026 guest list illustrates the international character of Kistrech. The festival brings together voices from Africa, Europe, Asia and the Arab world, creating opportunities for literary exchange across linguistic and cultural boundaries.

The presence of Dr. Ashraf Aboul-Yazid from Egypt, Hatem Al-Shahri from Saudi Arabia and Hani Nadeem from Syria connects the Arabic literary tradition with the Kenyan and wider African poetic scene.

At the same time, Anna Maria Stepien of Poland, Bernadette Gallagher of Ireland, Prof. Elisa Biagini of Italy, Dr. Genaro da Silva of Spain and Yusuke Miyake of Japan contribute European and Asian perspectives to the gathering.

The Kenyan delegation forms the largest national component, with poets and literary figures including Dr. Christopher Okemwa, Dr. Alfred Nyagaka Nyamwange, Dr. Evans Gesura Mecha, Dr. Georginah Nyatichi Makini, Prof. Joseph Muleka, Navista Parvezkhan Sherani, Rolince Onyango Otieno, Stephen Mogire and Mbugua Ng’ang’a.

Kistrech Theatre International

The festival is organized by Kistrech Theatre International, the cultural organization associated with the Kistrech literary movement.

The festival’s motto, “The Word is Not Alone; It is Part of the Whole,” captures an approach to literature in which poetry is connected to community, education, cultural heritage, performance and human interaction.

Its programme demonstrates this principle through activities that move between hotels, villages, universities, libraries, museums and the natural landscape of Maasai Mara.

Rather than concentrating all activities in a single literary venue, Kistrech creates a travelling cultural programme in which poets encounter different communities and settings throughout the week.

International cultural partnerships

The 2026 festival programme also acknowledges the support and participation of several cultural and educational institutions, including the Italian Institute of Culture, Cultúr Éireann / Culture Ireland, and Kisii University.

Their presence reflects the international and institutional dimensions of the festival and its connections with cultural and educational networks beyond Kenya.

A meeting place for poets

The Kistrech International Poetry Festival 2026 represents a week of literary encounters in which poetry functions as a common language among writers from different countries and cultural backgrounds.

From Bogiakumu village to Kisii University, from the ION Library in Nyamira County to Maasai Mara Game Reserve, and from the Dallas Premiere Hotel to Humphrey Hotel & Museum, the programme takes poetry into a variety of public and cultural spaces.

The participation of seventeen poets from nine countries gives the 2026 edition a broad international profile, while the strong Kenyan presence maintains the festival’s connection with its local literary community.

With its emphasis on inclusivity, borderlessness, cultural exchange, community participation and international friendship, Kistrech continues to present poetry not simply as a literary form, but as an opportunity for people from different parts of the world to meet, listen, share and discover one another through the written and spoken word.