The shortlist for the inaugural edition of the Kendeka Prize for Literature has been announced.

The prize, which is run by Kenyan-based Solano Publications Ltd, awards the best piece of unpublished short story of between 3,000 and 5,000 words by an African writer, either fiction or non-fiction. The winner receives KShs.100,000 ($911) while the second and third place winners will receive Kshs 50,000 ($456) and 25,000 ($228) respectively. Two other finalists will receive Kshs 5,000 ($45) each.

The shortlist of five were chosen from a longlist of thirteen by a panel of three judges comprising of Lucas Wafula, Editor-in-chief and CEO of Booklyst Press Limited, literary translator Edwige Renée Dro, and novelist Remy Ngamije.

See the shortlist below:

  • “Time And Bodies” by Ekemini Udo Pius, Nigeria
  • “Au Pair” by Okpanachi Irene Ojochegbe, Nigeria
  • “The Women of Atinga House” by Fatima Okhousami, Nigeria
  • “The Painting From A Country In Europe” by Azeeza Adeowu, Nigeria
  • “Water For Wine” by Jenny Robson, Botswana

The top three winners will be announced during an award ceremony to be held on the 25th September, 2021, at Fourteen Falls Leisure Lodge, Thika, Kenya.

The ceremony, which begins at 2.15 pm (Kenya time), will observe Covid 19 Protocols. You can watch live here on Facebook on and here on Youtube.

The longlisted stories will be published in an anthology titled I Am listening, 2021 Edition. For details, visit www.kendekaprize.com.

Congratulations to the authors!