The winners of the prestigious East African prize, the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, have been announced. 

The prize celebrates the excellence of East African writers in Kiswahili and English fiction across several categories, including Adult, Youth, and Children’s literature. Established in 1974 by the Kenya Publishers Association (KPA), the award honours the memory of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta. It has also been pivotal in promoting the country’s rich literary heritage. Over the years, it has become a beacon of recognition for writers who capture the essence of Kenyan culture, history, and contemporary issues.

After financial difficulties prevented the prize from continuing in 1974, it was revived in 1990 with sponsorship from the Text Book Centre, and the first award under this partnership was presented in 1992. Starting in 2015, they officially renamed the prize the Text Book Centre Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature.

 

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For the 2024 award, a jury led by Dr. Tom Odhiambo from the University of Nairobi judged it. The jury also called out writers and publishers who sent in substandard entries. 

The 2024 Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature Winners are

Adult Category in Kiswahili

• Kifunganjia by Daniel Okello (Storymoja)

Adult Category in English

• The Gambler by Ngumi Kibera (Oxford University Press)

Youth Category in Kiswahili

• Mshale wa Matumaini by John Habwe (Access Publishers)

Youth Category in English

• A Jacket for Ahmet by Tony Mochama (Oxford University Press)

Children’s Category in Kiswahili

• Swila Arejea na Hadithi Nyingine by M. K. Tarus (Storymoja)

Congratulations to all the winners. 

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