Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature

Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature calls out for prose, poetry manuscripts.

The Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature made a call out for prose, poetry manuscripts in Kiswahili on June 24, 2019.

The Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature was founded by Dr Mukoma Wa Ngugi (Cornell University) and Dr Lizzy Attree to recognise writing in African languages and encourage translation from, between and into African languages in 2014.

The prize this year is sponsored by Mabati Rolling Mills, Kenya, ALAF Limited, Tanzania (part of Safal Mauritius Limited), Cornell University and the Ngugi Wa Thiong’o Foundation. Previous winners have been Zainab Alwi Baharoon and Jacob Ngumbau (2018), Ali Hilal Ali and Dotto Rangimoto (2017) and Idrissa Haji Abdalla and Hussein Wamaywa and Ahmed Hussein Ahmed (2016).

The Mabati-Cornell team has made a call out for manuscripts or books published within the last two years for the new edition of the prize. They seek novels, short story collections or poetry in Kiswahili with entrants in a position to win;

  • First Winner (novel) – US$5,000
  • First Winner (Poetry) – US$5,000
  • The second winner (in any genre) – US$3,000
  • The third winner (in any genre) – US$2,000

Apart from the manuscript winning this money, it will be published in Kiswahili by Mkuki Na Nyota Publishers (Tanzania) and East African Educational Publishers (Kenya) while the poetry collection will be published in translation by the Africa Poetry Book Fund.

For terms and conditions for entering this prize please click here. Your deadline is August 5, 2019.

Comments

3 responses to “Mabati-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature calls out for prose, poetry manuscripts.”

  1. […] Limited), Cornell University and the Ngugi wa Thiong’o Foundation. On June 24, the prize made a call out for manuscripts or books published within the last two years for the new edition of the prize with the deadline of August 5. […]

  2. Francis avatar
    Francis

    hello, lets say i want to submit a play. then we know that plays are supposed to be as short as possible for the purpose of stage performance.. with the play are you still marginalizing those under 50000 words or are you using the 60 pages margin?

    1. James Murua avatar
      James Murua

      Hello Francis. The deadline for this year’s prize passed on August 5. Perhaps you can consider entering next year?

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