We are excited to announce the 7th edition of the African Writers Awards. For this edition, we are accepting submissions for short stories.
This is a fantastic opportunity for African writers to showcase their talent and creativity. By submitting your poems, you stand a chance to win the grand prize of $500 sponsored by Anthony ‘Penboss’ Onugba. Second and third-place winners will receive a certificate.
Please take note of the following:
There is no theme for this award. However, the main setting of the story must be Rwanda.
Stories must be between 3,000 to 5,000 words
Submissions are open from March 15 to August 1, 2024.
Entries must not have been previously published anywhere, including personal blogs.
Previous winners in any genre are ineligible to submit.
For this 2024 edition, please note that there will be NO ENTRY FEE. Kindly click on the link provided and you will then be redirected to a page where you can upload your entry.
Meet the judges
A recipient of a number of scholarships and fellowships in creative writing, Sabah has authored two novels, Humeirah and Semi-Apes, both set in Mauritius, where she was born. Her short stories have been published in the Bristol Short Story Prize, AfroYoung Adult Short Story Competition, Afritondo Short Story Prize, Small Islands Anthology, and Not-so-Normal-Narrators Contest, among others.
In addition to her creative work, Sabah has a PhD in Genocide Studies, and was recently awarded the Martin-Springer Postdoctoral Scholarship in Holocaust and Genocide Studies. She is the editor of the Arts and Literature column in Genocide Studies and Prevention: An International Journal, and hosts a podcast on genocide studies, Not to Forgive, But to Understand. In April 2024, Sabah led and organized a symposium at Texas State University to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the genocide of the Tutsis.
Sabah has previously lived in Kenya, Malaysia, and the Maldives, and is now based in the United States.
Patrick Nzabonimpa (Tom) is a Rwandan writer, poet, and journalist. He began writing short stories in 2018 while still in college and has since honed his craft. In 2022, he assumed the role of editor for the same genre at Writers Space Africa (WSA) through its monthly literary magazine and has facilitated various courses on short story writing within the organization.
Patrick’s short stories “Men Never Get Satisfied” and “You See Mama” were published in Brittle Paper and Beans without Korkor and Other Stories anthology, respectively. More of his literary works were published in WSA Magazine, Africa In Dialogue, Twaweza anthology, Voices of Space: An Almanac, as well as Threads and Faces: Stories on Identity and Belonging anthology, among other places.
Patrick’s debut short story collection, A Thread of Silent Echoes, will be published by Vine Leaves Press (Greece) in April 2026. He is also a Pen Pen African Writers Residency alumni and one of the recipients of the 2020 Empower Africa Now award in the short story category. He loves tea.
Verah Omwocha is a seasoned publishing professional with over a decade of experience in managing and maintaining high publication standards. Skilled in communications, editing, and proofreading across various content types, she excels in providing strategic leadership to publication teams. Her expertise includes elevating the quality of institutional documents, website content, and stylistic editing initiatives. Verah is also proficient in conducting editorial training sessions and judging writing competitions. With a commitment to excellence, she contributes to enhancing readability, engagement, and brand visibility through her meticulous editing and leadership skills.
