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“Coming to Birth” is a novel written by Majorie Oludhe Mac- goye. The author moved to Kenya in her early adulthood years, where she settled down into family after getting married to her African husband, D. G. W. Macgoye.

She got integrated into her extended Luo family, whose traditions are well highlighted within the novel.

She has further used the novel to express her opinions and take on the developments that were taking place in Kenya as a young country (after achievement of independence).

In her novel, the author has also focused on the plight of women in the largely patriarchal African society.

The novel opens with the introduction of Martin Were to the audience. Martin is presented as a member of the educated middle working class in the Kenyan society and is in every way, a perfect depiction of young man with a successful life laid before him.

Paulina Akelo, who is barely out of her teens, and wife to Martin Were, is also presented at the beginning of the novel.

She is presented as being naive and ignorant to the ways of “the city”. The storyline of the novel follows the life of this young couple, who experience the ups and downs of marriage life with childlessness being the main negatively impacting force on their mar- riage.

The Story of Martin and Paulina runs along that of political developments in Kenya as a young nation.

The nation goes through political upheavals, which are mainly characterised by the assassination of key governing figures in the then ruling government.

The downturns experienced by Kenya as a country are more or less similar to those experienced by Martin and Paulina in their marriage union. In the story, Paulina is seen to develop from the naive and ignorant lady she was at the beginning of the novel, into a confident and well informed individual, capable of voicing her stand in what she believes in.

This is seen where she expresses her liberty to offer help to whoever she pleases, when questioned about her actions by Mr M.

On the other hand, Martin, who was seen to be confident and successful at the beginning, is seen as slowly sinking into disillusionment and a state of hopelessness. This is partly caused by failed expectations which he had placed on the leadership of the country and also his inability to have a child with Paulina.

Paulina experiences several miscarriages in her efforts to get a child by Martin. This causes a rift between the two and which eventually leads to their separation.

The failure to beget children between Paulina and Martin causes a state of hopelessness and bitterness.

This is used by the author, to express the attitudes of Kenyans, as members of a young sovereign state, with regards to their failed expectations, by the ruling government. Citizens in the country had great confidence on the government’s ability to deliver them from the depressive state of colonialism, but it seemed that a new pattern of neo-colonialism had come into place.

In the course of the separation between Martin and Paulina, each of the parties engages in affairs with other partners. The reason for each party’s involvement in extra-marital affairs seems to be more of the same.

Martin is in search of a lady who can bear him children, while Paulina engages in an affair with Simon in her efforts to get a child. The result of Paulina’s affair with Simon is Martin Okeyo – a son born to her. Paulina finds joy in her son, who unfortunately is later killed in the course of protests in Kisumu city.

The death of Paulina’s son is partly used by the author to represent the dampening of Kenya’s hopes of getting just governance. The naming of the child by Paulina, where she gives it her former husbands name, signifies the memory that remains and commitment that she made to Martin Were. Later on in the story-line, Martin and Paulina are seen to come back together.

Paulina is soon expectant by Martin, and shares her joy with him, a sign of the “coming to birth” of their hope of getting a child together. However, Paulina proudly cautions Martin of being too overjoyed over the thought of having a child; this is born out of her past experiences.

Kenya as a country, also experiences a renewed hope in its governance structure. This comes about with the shifting of power to a new government. Citizens in the country are optimistic, but do not let the joy they have cloud their judgment. – African Literature Reviews.