Safal Kiswahili Prize Marks 10 Years, Opens Submissions to Kenyan Writers
By Admin
Nairobi, Wednesday, January 29, 2026 — Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM), through the Safal MRM Foundation, has opened submissions for the 10th edition of the Safal Kiswahili Prize for African Literature. The milestone edition offers cash awards of up to USD 5,000 and reaffirms Safal Group’s long-standing commitment to growing Kiswahili creative writing across Africa.
Sponsored by Mabati Rolling Mills Ltd of Kenya and Alaf Ltd of Tanzania, the prize celebrates a decade of championing African stories written in Kiswahili. Since its launch in 2015, the award has grown into one of the continent’s leading platforms for original Kiswahili fiction and emerging literary talent.
For years, Alaf Ltd in Tanzania has led the initiative, drawing from the country’s rich linguistic and literary heritage. However, the 10th edition marks a shift, with MRM taking a stronger leadership role from Kenya. The move strengthens regional ownership and expands the prize’s reach across East Africa and the wider Swahili-speaking world.
MRM Chief Executive Officer Albert Sigei said the prize goes beyond recognition. He noted that it invests in Africa’s voice, identity, and intellectual heritage. He added that deepening Kenya’s role will give African writers a stronger platform to tell authentic stories that shape the continent’s narrative.
Over the past decade, the Safal Kiswahili Prize has received more than 3,000 manuscript submissions, many from Kenyan writers. It has honoured 29 winners and supported the publication of 22 winning manuscripts through Mkuki na Nyota Publishers, enriching contemporary Kiswahili literature.
Safal MRM Foundation Head Siprosa Rabach said the initiative has consistently nurtured emerging writers and strengthened Kiswahili as a literary language of continental relevance. She said the 10th edition will deepen engagement in Kenya, inspire young writers, and reinforce Kiswahili’s cultural and literary influence across Africa.
The prize targets high-quality, unpublished Kiswahili manuscripts that reflect Africa’s cultures, realities, and aspirations. This edition also aims to work more closely with universities, Kiswahili departments, publishers, media houses, and the wider Swahili-speaking community.
The 2026 awards will cover three categories. Fiction and Poetry winners will each receive USD 5,000 for first place and USD 2,500 for second place. The Short Stories category will have one overall winner, who will receive USD 2,500.
Submissions must be original and unpublished Kiswahili fiction. Writers can submit their manuscripts until March 30, 2026. A panel of literary experts will review the entries, with winners announced during an award ceremony scheduled for July 2026. Entries should be submitted through the official portal at kiswahiliprize.org.
The Safal Kiswahili Prize was established in 2014 by Dr. Lizzy Attree, former Director of The Caine Prize, and Dr. Mukoma Wa Ngugi of Cornell University. The initiative continues to recognise outstanding unpublished work while offering writers recognition, publishing opportunities, and continental exposure.
