The AKO Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual literary award for the best original short story by an African writer, whether in Africa or elsewhere, published in the English language/Photo: Femi Awoniyi

Writers from 22 African countries vie for 2021 Caine Prize

The AKO Caine Prize for African Writing has announced 153 submissions from 22 African countries via their new online submissions platform this year, including an entry from Burkina Faso, for the first time. Also announced, are the five Judges for the 2021 Prize.

Caine is a literature prize awarded to an African writer of a short story published in English. The prize was launched in 2000 to encourage and highlight the richness and diversity of African writing by bringing it to a wider audience internationally. The focus on the short story reflects the contemporary development of the African story-telling tradition.

Nigerian-British writer Irenosen Okojie won the £10,000 prize in 2020 for her short story ‘Grace Jones’, from Nudibranch, published by Dialogue Books (2019).

This year’s Chair of Judges is the Founder and Director of the African Writers Trust (AWT), Goretti Kyomuhendo. The Ugandan has been recognised for her work as a writer and literary activist nationally and internationally.

As the founding member of FEMRITE – Uganda Women Writers Association and Publishing House, Kyomuhendo has been championing the work of African Editors and Publishers for decades. Her work at the AWT promotes synergies and collaborative learning between African writers on the continent and in the Diaspora.

Vivian Asamoah

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