Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature

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The Text Book Centre Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature is a biennial literary award given by the Kenya Publishers' Association.[1] It has been called "the most prestigious literary award in the country".[2]

The first award ceremony took place in 1974, however due to financial constraints, it was unable to continue.[1] In 1990, the award was revived with sponsorship from the Text Book Centre, and the first prize was given in 1992.[1] Beginning in 2015, the award's official name was changed to Text Book Centre Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature.[3]

Honorees[]

1974[1]

1992[1]

  • First prize: Wahome Mutahi, Three Days on the Cross
  • First prize: , The Broken Drum

1995[1]

1997[1]

  • English winner: , Grapevine Stories
  • Kiswahili winner: , Vipuli vya Figo
  • Children's winner: , Settling the Score

1999[4]

2001[1]

  • English winner: Meja Mwangi, The Last Plague
  • Kiswahili winner: , Nguvu ya Sala
  • Children's winner: Lily Mabura, Ali the Little Sultan

2003[1]

  • English Adult Fiction first place: , The Stone Hills of Maragoli
  • English Adult Fiction second place: Tobias Otieno, The Missing Links
  • English Adult Fiction third place: , I Shall Walk Alone
  • English Children's first place: Wahome Mutahi, The Ghost of Garbatula
  • Kiswahili first place: , Ndoto ya Amerika

2005[1][6]

  • English Adult Fiction first place: (no prize)[7]
  • English Adult Fiction second place: , A Friend of the Court
  • English Adult Fiction third place: , Wings of the Wind
  • Kiswahili Adult first place: , Musaleo
  • Kiswahili Adult second place: , Kufa Kuzikana
  • Kiswahili Adult third place: Kyalo Wamitila, Pango
  • English Youth first place: , Death Trap
  • Kiswahili Children's first place: , Kofia ya kadogo

2007[1][8]

  • English Adult Fiction first place: Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, A Farm Called Kishinev
  • English Adult Fiction second place: Margaret Ogola Place of Destiny
  • English Adult Fiction third place: , The Unbroken Spirit
  • Kiswahili Adult first place: , Msimu wa Vipepeo
  • Kiswahili Adult second place: Joseph Muthee, Kizuizini
  • Kiswahili Adult third place: , Sudana
  • English Youth first place: Kingwa Kamencu, To Grasp at Star
  • English Youth second place: , Innocence Long Lost
  • English Youth third place: Meja Mwangi, Boy Gift
  • English Children's first place: , The Wonderful Ball
  • English Children's second place: Kyalo Wamitila, The Mysterious Box and the Magic Spoon
  • English Children's third place: , Far Far Away
  • Kiswahili Children's first place: Nyambura Mpesha, Hanna na Wanyama

2009[1]

  • English Adult Fiction first place: , Blossoms of the Savannah
  • English Adult Fiction second place: Rhodia Mann, Hawecha: A Woman for All Time
  • English Adult Fiction third place: Meja Mwangi, Big Chief
  • Kiswahili Adult first place: , Unaitwa Nani
  • Kiswahili Adult second place: , Vipanya Vya maabara
  • Kiswahili Adult third place: , Omar Babu
  • English Youth first place: , Walk with me Angela
  • English Youth second place: , Lake of Smoke
  • Kiswahili Youth first place: , dago wa munje
  • Kiswahili Children's first place: , Ken Walibora
  • Kiswahili Children's second place: , Sitaki iwe siri
  • Kiswahili Children's third place: , Ngoma za Uchawi
  • English Children's first place: , The Prize

2011[9]

  • English Adult Fiction first place: , Eye of the Storm
  • English Adult Fiction second place: , Terrorists of the Aberdare
  • English Adult Fiction third place: , The Lone Dancer
  • Kiswahili Adult first place: , Kijiba cha Moyo
  • Kiswahili Adult second place: , Utoro
  • Kiswahili Adult third place: , Fumbo la Maisha
  • English Youth first place: , Tale of Kasaya
  • English Youth second place: Muthoni wa Gichuru, Breaking the Silence
  • English Youth third place: , The Reunion
  • Kiswahili Youth first place: , Mlemavu? Si Mimi
  • Kiswahili Youth second place: , Kipendacho Roho
  • Kiswahili Children's first place: , Wema wa Mwana
  • Kiswahili Children's second place: , Msichana Aliyeokoa Watu
  • Kiswahili Children's third place: , Sungura na Mbwa
  • English Children's first place: , Upside Down
  • English Children's second place: , Sheila, Let's Write to God
  • English Children's third place: , Let us Keep Tiger

2013[10]

  • English Adult: , Vanishing Herds
  • Kiswahili Adult: , Watu wa Gehenna
  • English Youth: David Mulwa, We Come in peace
  • Kiswahili Youth: , Mambo Kangaja
  • English Children's: , I Blame the Sky
  • Kiswahili Children's: Rebecca Nandwa, Nimefufuka

2015[11]

  • English Adult: Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor, Dust
  • Kiswahili Adult: , Pendo la karaha
  • English Youth: , The Tissue Boy
  • Kiswahili Youth: , Nasikia Sauti ya mama
  • English Children's: , A Scare in the Village
  • Kiswahili Children's: , Ushindi wa nakate

2017[12]

  • English Adult Category: , The Elephant Dance
  • Kiswahili Adult Category: , Mashetani wa Alepo
  • Kiswahili Youth Category: , Majilio ya Mkombozi
  • English Youth Category: , Ghost and the Fortune Hunters
  • English Children Category: , Koko Riko

2019[13]

  • English Adult Category: , Elders of the Mace
  • Kiswahili Adult Category: Mwenda Mbatiah, Watoto Wa Mwelusi
  • English Youth Category: Kinyanjui Kombani, Do or Do
  • Kiswahili Youth Category: , Picha Ya Karne
  • English Children Category: , Trio Troubles
  • Kiswahili Children Category: , Busara Na Hekima
  • Wahome Mutahi Literary Award: Kinyanjui Kombani, Of Pawns and Players

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature History 2011". Kenya Publishers' Association. 2011. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  2. ^ "New Award to Shake Up Publishing Industry." Africa News Service 10 January 2011. Gale Student Resources in Context GALE|A246092961. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  3. ^ Mbugua Ngunjiri (30 August 2015). "Must it be called Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature?". Standard. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  4. ^ Nation Correspondent (20 September 1999). "No award situation!" Africa News Service. Retrieved 12 October 2012
  5. ^ Judges decided that the books that had been submitted lacked creativity and therefore did not award any prize.
  6. ^ "Lack of Award Winner an Indictment of Our Writers." Africa News Service 17 October 2005. Gale Student Resources in Context GALE|A137645842. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  7. ^ In 2005, judges failed to award the first prize in the English category, arguing that the titles submitted were not strong enough.
  8. ^ "Veteran Writer Oludhe Macgoye Wins Top Award As Book Fair Ends." Africa News Service 1 October 2007. Gale Student Resources in Context GALE|A169300498. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  9. ^ "Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature Award 2011". Kenya Publishers' Association. 2012. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  10. ^ James Murua (4 October 2014). "Kenya: Star Columnist Wins Jomo Kenyatta Literature Award". allafrica.com. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  11. ^ "Owuor wins literature prize at book awards". Daily Nation. Kenya. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  12. ^ Murua, James (6 October 2017). "Text Book Center Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature 2017 winners announced". James Murua's African Literature Blog. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  13. ^ Murua, James (30 September 2019). "Text Book Centre Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature 2019 winners announced". James Murua's African Literature Blog. Retrieved 22 February 2021.

External links[]

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