Tom Mboya Olali

Prof. Tom Olali holds a PhD in African Studies from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London (2004) and an MA in Swahili Studies from the University of Nairobi (1997) and a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree from Moi University (1994).

He was awarded Head of State Commendation by the President of the Republic of Kenya for his contribution in Swahili Studies in 2024.

He is currently a Full Time faculty member in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Nairobi. He has taught in the Division of African Studies, College of International and Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Republic of Korea as a Visiting Professor. In addition, he has taught at Tianjin Normal University in China as a Visiting Professor.

Prof. Olali’s field of interest is in Swahili Islamic Civilization and in particular, the maulidi festival which is the anniversary of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. He has extensively researched on the Pre-20th Century Swahili Islamic ode, the Hamziyyah, which is a Swahili panegyric that plays a significant role in the religious life of the Swahili people of the Lamu archipelago on Maulidi Festival. The Hamziyyah is an inter-linear translation of the Arabic qasid, Umm-al-Qura.

In addition, Prof. Olali is a Swahili novelist and was the 2017 Winner, The Text Book Centre Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature (Kiswahili Adult Category) in Mashetani wa Alepo, 2013 Winner, The Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature (Kiswahili Adult Category) in Watu wa Gehenna, 2016 1ST Runner Up Wahome Mutahi Prize for Literature (Kiswahili Adult Category) in Mashetani wa Alepo, 2014 Nominee, Wahome Mutahi Prize for Literature in Watu wa Gehenna, 2010 Wahome Mutahi Prize for Literature (3rd Runners Up) in Mafamba. His latest novel Barua ya Sumbukeni was nominated for The Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature 2022.