The Safal Kiswahili Prize for African Literature has officially announced the shortlisted finalists for its 2024 edition. The prestigious literary award is sponsored by the Safal Group through ALAF Tanzania and Mabati Rolling Mills Kenya.
The announcement was made at a press conference in Dar es Salaam, where Hawa Bayumi, ALAF’s External Affairs Manager, shared the list of selected manuscripts. Also present was Dr. Salma Hamad from the Open University of Tanzania – Zanzibar, who chairs the 2024 panel of judges.
Established in 2014 by Dr. Lizzy Attree and Dr. Mukoma wa Ngugi, the Safal Kiswahili Prize aims to recognize excellence in African language literature and promote translation between African languages.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Salma Hamad remarked:
“The number of entries was overwhelming, but we were thoroughly engaged. We read creatively crafted manuscripts and discovered the depth of Kiswahili literary talent. If nurtured, Kiswahili literature has a rich future ahead.”
Abdilatif Abdalla, Chairperson of the Prize’s Board of Trustees, added:
“It is very gratifying to see that since the launch of the award in 2015, it has continued to attract participants from across the continent. The rising quality of submissions each year continues to enrich Kiswahili literature.”
The 2024 judging panel also included:
- Prof. Richard Wafula, Kenyatta University (Kenya)
- Dr. Caesar Jjingo, Makerere University (Uganda)
The panel reviewed a total of 210 unpublished manuscripts.
Shortlisted Finalists for 2024
Novels
- Nderemo za Mtaa – Joel Hamisi (Tanzania)
- Kitanzi cha Mauti – Mayassa Abdallah Chembea (Tanzania)
- Nyaraka za Wafu – Ali Othman Masoud (Tanzania)
Poetry
- Waadhi – Mohamed Hamid Haji (Tanzania)
- Bure Ghali – Bashiru Abdallah (Tanzania)
- Laana ya Uovu – Mohamed Idrisa (Tanzania)
Short Story Collection
- Mungu Hadanganywi na Hadithi Nyingine – Edwin Omindo (Kenya)
Award Ceremony and Prizes
The winners will be announced at an official award ceremony scheduled to take place in Dar es Salaam on July 3, 2025.
Prizes totaling USD 15,000 will be awarded across the following categories: novels, poetry, biographies, plays, and graphic novels. The prize distribution is as follows:
- First Prize (Novel): USD 5,000
- First Prize (Poetry): USD 5,000
- Second Prize (any category): USD 2,500
In addition to cash prizes, winning manuscripts will be published by Mkuki na Nyota Publishers (Tanzania), while the top poetry entries will also be translated into English and published by the Africa Poetry Book Fund.