NAIROBI, Kenya — 31 Jan, 2026—The Safal Kiswahili Prize for African Literature has opened submissions for its 10th edition, offering cash prizes of up to USD 5,000.
The competition is open to original, unpublished Kiswahili manuscripts reflecting African stories, cultures, and realities.
The prize, organised by Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM) through its Safal MRM Foundation in partnership with Alaf Ltd of Tanzania, has been running since 2015 and has received over 3,000 submissions to date.
Previous winners have been supported through publication, with 22 manuscripts released by Mkuki na Nyota Publishers.
For 2026, the prize will recognise winners across three categories: Fiction, Poetry, and Short Stories. The
First Prize in Fiction and Poetry is USD 5,000, with Second Prizes of USD 2,500. The Short Story category will award a single prize of USD 2,500.
MRM CEO Albert Sigei emphasized the importance of the prize in nurturing African literary talent and strengthening Kiswahili as a literary language across the continent.
Submissions are open until 30th March 2026, with winners to be announced at an award ceremony in July 2026.
Entries can be submitted through the official portal: https://kiswahiliprize.org
