The Safal Kiswahili Prize for African Literature has opened submissions for its 2026 edition, marking the award's tenth year. African writers in Kiswahili can submit unpublished manuscripts in fiction and poetry categories for cash prizes and publication opportunities. The deadline for entries is 31 March 2026.
The Safal Kiswahili Prize invites emerging and established writers to submit original, unpublished manuscripts written in Kiswahili. Now in its tenth year since launching in 2015, the competition focuses on fiction and poetry, offering $5,000 (KSh. 646,000) to first-place winners in each category and $2,500 (KSh. 323,000) to second-place recipients.
Founded by literary scholar Lizzy Attree and writer Mukoma wa Ngũgĩ, the prize aims to promote writing in Kiswahili and encourage translations between African languages. Organizers emphasize its role in providing a platform for stories that capture the continent's cultures, histories, and social realities in one of Africa's most widely spoken languages.
Over the past decade, the award has received thousands of manuscripts, contributing to the development of contemporary Kiswahili literature. It has helped new writers enter the literary industry by offering publication deals and visibility across Africa and internationally. Beyond financial rewards, winners gain connections with publishers, scholars, and other authors.
The initiative supports broader efforts to strengthen Kiswahili as a literary language and increase its global presence. Judging for the 2026 entries will occur after the submission deadline, with winners to be announced later in the year.