Abstract:
Promotion of a reading Culture aims to publicize reading among members of the general public. It is an
activity that is meant to popularize reading and make it a lifelong hobby. The main objective of
cultivating and promoting a reading culture is to make reading a habit that is appreciated and loved by
citizens. It is therefore important to create awareness on the importance of reading for leisure and not
necessarily to pass exams and to develop reading as a habit and culture. Without the opportunity to
read widely, what is taught in the classroom cannot be reinforced. Consequently, pupils cannot develop
skills of locating, selecting, organizing, manipulating, evaluating and processing information. Research
has shown that those who read for examination lapse into illiteracy when they fail. In Kenya, most
schools rely on library lessons to promote and cultivate the reading culture. Furthermore there are no
policies in the Kenyan education system that encourages the promotion of reading culture. The reading
habit is therefore promoted in a vacuum. Due to lack of a firm government policy, most schools have no
libraries and adequate reading materials. This paper discusses the reading culture in Kenya and
analyzes the efforts that are being undertaken to promote and cultivate the habit and there in suggests
strategies which should be put in place in order to develop a reading culture in Kenya.