The African Writers Awards recently revealed their shortlist for the 2023 edition of the annual literary awards. Making the shortlist of this year’s awards are two Zimbabwean writers, in Emelda Gwitimah and Kudzai Mhangwa. The former being nominated for the Poetry Award and the latter getting a nod in the Children’s Literature category.
Emelda Gwitimah’s fiction and CNF work have been featured in The AKE Review, The Willowherb Review, The Post Journal and Bambazonke Online. Her poem, “Soil” is featured in the anthology, One Poem: GBV Survivor’s Edition (TsongaMakololo Press, 2020). She has also been shortlisted twice for the Intwasa Short Story Prize (2020, 2021) and subsequently published in the Intwasa Anthologies.
Kudzai Mhangwa is a writer, actor and musician. He writes poetry, plays, essays and short stories. His work has been featured on House of Mutapa, Atrebla Magazine, Ka’edi Africa, Poetry Soup and elsewhere.
Organised by Writer’s Space Africa, the African Writers Awards will be taking place for their 6th edition this year. The winners will be announced at the 2023 African Writers Conference, scheduled for November 1-5 in Accra, Ghana.
The panel of judges for this year’s awards included: Nahida Esmail (Tanzania), Testimony Odey (Nigeria), Temwani Mgunda (Malawi), Corona Cermak (Tanzania), Patricia Peace Ejang (Uganda), Comfort Nyati, SDB (Zimbabwe), Tamunomieibi Enoch (Nigeria), Temani Nkalolang (Botswana), Halieo Motanyane (Lesotho), Omadang Yowasi (Uganda), and Namse Udosen (Nigeria).
Here are the shortlists for this year’s awards:
The 2023 African Writers Award for Poetry:
Coded Tongue by Mirriam Kalekye (Kenya)
Dear AI by Dr. Pat Ashinze (Nigeria)
Nyachide by Emelda Gwitimah (Zimbabwe)
Oracles of Zeros and Ones by Truth Ndubueze (Nigeria)
Robo Fantasies by Mufumba Jonathan (Uganda)
The grand prize for this award is $500, an Amazon ebook publishing contract, and a scholarship for a 3-month creative writing course. Second and third-place winners will also receive a scholarship for the same course.
The 5th Edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature:
Meeme and the singing Calabash by Grace Tendo Katana (Uganda)
Ngoni Makes a Difference by Kudzai Mhangwa (Zimbabwe)
Omelet the Dreaming Flying Dodo by Winnie Maluli (Kenya)
The winner of this prize will receive a certificate and $200, the second-place winner will receive a certificate and $150, while the third place will receive a certificate and $100.
The 2nd African Teen Writers Awards (Poetry):
A gulp from my porch by Fatima Abdulwahab (Nigeria)
Because Life Began on a Dreamer’s Lips by Bella Ogwuche (Nigeria)
E-M(AI)L by Theresa Shukrani Mulindwa (Zambia)
The 2nd African Teen Writers Awards (Prose):
A Flipped Coin by Divine Okpe (Nigeria)
Alone by Oluwanifemi Fagbolagun (Nigeria)
Mysteries Untold by Vyangel Aorabee (Nigeria)
The winners of each category will receive a certificate of achievement and a cash prize of $100.
