African writers working in Kiswahili have a fresh opportunity to showcase their work as submissions open for the 2026 edition of the Safal Kiswahili Prize for African Literature.
Now in its tenth year, the prize invites emerging and established writers to submit unpublished manuscripts for a chance to win cash awards and secure publication.
The competition offers $5,000(KSh. 646,000) prizes for the top entries in the Fiction and Poetry categories, while second-place winners will receive $2,500 KSh. (323,000).
Submissions are open until 31 March 2026.
The Safal Kiswahili Prize is one of the continent’s most prominent literary platforms dedicated to writing in African languages. Since its launch in 2015, the award has attracted thousands of manuscripts and helped bring new Kiswahili literature to readers across Africa and beyond.
Founded by literary scholar Lizzy Attree and writer Mukoma wa Ngũgĩ, the prize was created to promote writing in Kiswahili and encourage translation between African languages.
According to the prize’s sponsors, the initiative also seeks to provide a space for stories that reflect the continent’s cultures, histories and social realities in one of Africa’s most widely spoken languages.
Over the past decade, published works from the prize have contributed to the growing body of contemporary Kiswahili literature while giving new writers a pathway into the literary industry.
Beyond the financial reward, the prize also offers writers continental visibility and opportunities to connect with publishers, scholars and fellow authors. Organisers say the initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen Kiswahili as a literary language and expand its global reach.
The 2026 competition will again focus on original, unpublished manuscripts written in Kiswahili, with winners expected to be announced later in the year following the judging process.
