African Writers Awards 2021 winners announced in Dar es Salaam.

The winners for the African Writers Awards 2021 and the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature 2021 were announced in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on October 9, 2021.

The African Writers Awards were conceived by the African Writers Development Trust to shed a light on some of the best emerging writing talents on the continent. Previous winners have been Manu Herbstein, Maryhilda Ibe, Chiamaka Onu-Okpara, and Benson Mugo in 2018; Eme Ogbu, Temani Nkalolang, Andrea B Matambo, and Priscillar Matara in 2019; and Oladejo Oluyemisi, Asoloko Gloria Akayi, and Duru Nneka Joyce in 2020.

The awards this year were judged by Chief Judge Anthony Onugba alongside Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Gankhanani Moffat Moyo (Zambia), Sabah Carrim (Mauritius), Nabilah Usman (Nigeria), Comfort Nyati, SDB (Zimbabwe), Temani Nkalolang (Botswana), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho) and Namse Udosen (Nigeria).

The longlist for the African Writers Awards 2021 and the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature 2021 were announced on August 1 before the shortlists were revealed on September 1, 2021. The winners of the awards were made public on the sidelines of the African Writers Conference 2021 which ran at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania this past weekend.

The winners in the different categories are;

African Writers Awards for Creative Non-Fiction (US$100)

• Adetutu by Adedoyin Adetutu (Nigeria)

African Writers Awards for Drama (US$100)

• Eating With Chopsticks by Gordon, B. Away (Kenya)

African Writers Awards for Poetry (US$100)

• In the grave of the brave by Clara Wanjira Kariuki (Kenya)

Wakini Kuria Award for Children’s Literature (1^st place – US$150, 2^nd Place – US$100, 3^rd Place – US$50)

• The Millionaire Orphan by Makhago Peter (Uganda)
• Tea time with Tito by Stephanie Chizoba Odili (Nigeria)
• The Enchanted Pen by Nathaniel Z Mpofu (Zimbabwe)