The winners have emerged in the 2023 Writivism Prizes. They are Damilola Omotoyinbo who won the Poetry Prize with her poem, “The Evening News”; Hussani Abdulrahim who won the Prose Prize with his short story, “Ahuoyyiza’s Monologue”; and Mlami Tyulu who won the Koffi Addo Prize for Creative Nonfiction with his essay, “The Covenant of Faith”.
This edition’s jury consisted of Sumayya Lee (chair), Ber Anena, Yaa Asantewa, Paula Akugizibwe, Tiffany Kagure Mugo, Rešoketšwe Manenzhe, and Juliana Lamy. The winners were announced on Sunday April 28, 2024 in a ceremony held over Zoom. Each category winner will receive $1000 (USD), while the shortlisted writers will each receive $50.
In 2012, Bwesigye Bwa Mwesigire, Naseemah Mohamed, and Kyomuhendo A Ateenyi founded Writivism, a writing as activism initiative, at the Centre for African Cultural Excellence in Kampala, Uganda. Among other things, they organised an annual literary festival, literary awards for fiction (beginning in 2013) and nonfiction (beginning in 2016), produced anthologies, and mentored emerging authors.
The Writivism Prizes have recognized a notable list of shortlisted and winning writers, including several who have become internationally successful. Some notable names include Anthea Paelo (Uganda), Saaleha Idrees Bamjee (South Africa), Pemi Aguda (Nigeria), and Acan Innocent Immaculate (Uganda), Rošeketšwe Manenzhe (South Africa), and Frances Ogamba (Nigeria).
Congratulations to the winners!
