The awards along with the African Writers Award and the Wakini awards, was established since 2018 by Writers Space Africa Foundation in partnership with the African Writers Development Trust, who have since then been holding the annual awards as the highpoint of the African Writers Conference. This year’s long list was announced on 31 August.
The call for submission by writers started from 15 March to 1 July this year. A cash prize of $200 will be awarded to each winner along with a certificate. All submissions were also in English.
Both awards considered pieces by writers from various parts and regions of the continent, and received hundreds of entries, although each entry offered a unique perspective.
Among the works considered for the award in the short story category is Beautiful Zawadi by Destine Barasa (Kenya), Gone are Souls by Muhammad Al-ameen Yusha’u (Nigeria), Happiness by Ronetta Ingabire Gasana (Rwanda), Mr Bean by Kosiso Chikezie (Nigeria), My Adventure by Ngu Cindy Azah (Cameroon)
Others longlisted included My Juicy Life by Testimony Odey (Nigeria), My Luxury by Toluwanimi Oladapo (Nigeria), The Boy with his Eyes by Kanyamanza Esther (Rwanda), The House that Holds Her People by Abubakar Ndakotsu (Nigeria) and Wardolls by Adaugo Madubuike (Nigeria)
The works for the poetry category includes A Flower that Blooms by David Halla (Tanzania), At the Age of 10 by Ilakiza Jackson (Tanzania), First Day of my Online Class by Fa’iza Yahaya (Nigeria), I promise not to go Astray by Kaaria Mugambi (Kenya), In Shaa Allah by Fadairo Nabeelah (Nigeria), It gets Lonely by Nifemi Emmanuel (Nigeria), Mother Africa by Emmanuella Abbey (Nigeria), The Fall of the Planets by Doreen Ngemera (Tanzania), The River’s Ordeals by Fadairo Tesleem (Nigeria), Wings by Priscilla Arthur (Ghana).
The shortlist will be released on 1 October.
